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ContentsCoverTitlePageCopyrightAcknowledgments

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Chapter1:WhyMoreWordSmart?

Chapter2:Warm-UpTests

Chapter3:TheWords

Chapter4:MoreSATKeyTerms(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

Chapter5:MoreGREKeyTerms(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

Chapter6:WordRootsYouShouldKnow

Chapter7:ClassicLiterature

Chapter8:LawandGovernment

Chapter9:Religion

Chapter10:MoreCommonUsageErrors(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

Chapter11:TheFinalExam

Chapter12:TheAnswers

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3

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CHAPTER1

WhyMoreWordSmart?

AboutWordSmartWewrote the firstWordSmart thinking it would be our only vocabulary book.Mostvocabularybooks include toomanywords thatpeople rarelyuse,andnotenoughofthewordspeopleactuallyencounter inschoolor in theirdaily lives.ForWordSmart,wewantedonlythemostimportantwordsinaneducatedvocabulary,thewordspeopletrulyneedtoknowtodowellinschoolandintheircareers.

Here’swhatwesaidonthebackcoverofWordSmart:

Improving your vocabulary is important, but where do you start? TheEnglishlanguagehashundredsofthousandsofwords.Tofindoutwhichwords youabsolutely need to know,ThePrincetonReview researchedthevocabulariesofeducatedadults.WeanalyzednewspapersfromTheNew York Times toTheWall Street Journal, magazines from Time toScientificAmerican, andbooks fromcurrentbestsellers to theclassics.We threw out the words that most people know and focused on thewords that peoplemisunderstand or misuse. From these, we selectedthe823wordsthatappearedmostfrequently.

Sincewe firstwrote thosewords, hundreds of thousands of people have purchasedWordSmart.Manyofthem,havinglearnedthewordsinthefirstvolume,didnotwanttostopthere.Theyaskedusforotherimportantwordstheyshouldknow.

Sowesetouttocollectanotherbatchofwords.Wewentthroughthesameresearchprocesswedidwhen compiling our first volume.We still concentratedon thewordsthatoccurredmostfrequently,butthereweresomeimportantdifferencesinthewaywemadeourfinalselection.

TheWorldHasChangedIn the first place, the world has changed a lot. With the international upheavals ofrecent years,manypoliticaland religiouswordsgained increasingusage. Increasingglobalizationmadeusmoreawareofforeignlanguages,andasaresultmanyforeignwordsandphrasesgainedpopularity.

WeKnowMoreAboutPeople’s

VocabulariesAnother consideration affecting the words we selected was our growing experiencewithstudentsandadultsandtheiruseandmisuseoflanguage.ManyimportantwordsinMoreWordSmartfailedtomakethecutforthefirstvolumebecausewethoughtthatmosteducatedpeopleusethesewordscorrectly.Wewerewrong.

Wediscovered thatmanystudentsandadults learnwords fromcontext.They figureout the definition of difficult words from the general meaning of the sentences orparagraphscontainingthem.Unfortunately,thisoftengivesavagueunderstanding;atbest, a word’s context will provide only a general idea of its meaning. This volumecontainsmanydeceivinglysimplewordsthateducatedpeoplemisuse,misunderstand,orconfusewithotherwords.

We’vealso includedachapternear theendof thisbook that focusesexclusively onusageerrors. It’sacontinuationof theCommonUsageErrorschapter in theoriginalWordSmart.

WeWantOurReaderstoUseTheseWordsThelastmajordifferenceinwritingMoreWordSmartisthatwewantedtoplacegreateremphasisonpronunciation.Thespeakingvocabulariesofmostpeople,thewordstheyuse in everyday speech, are much smaller than the number of words they actuallyknow.Evenhighlyeducatedpeopleavoidsayingmanyofthewordstheyknowsimplybecausetheyaren’tsurehowtopronouncethem.

In researching the correct pronunciation of theMore Word Smart words, we wereastonished—weourselveshadbeenconfidentlymispronouncingdozensofwords foryears!(Fortunately,nobodyseemedtonoticesincejustaboutalloureducatedfriendshadbeenmispronouncingthesewordsrightalongwithus.)

We’ve gone to great lengths to emphasize correct pronunciation so you won’tembarrassyourselfwhenyouspeakupinclassortrytoimpressyourfriendswithyourgrowinglinguisticvirtuosity.

MoreWordSmartVersusWordSmartThe words in this volume are just as important as the words in our first book. Thewordshereareperhapsabitmoredifficultandappearsomewhat lessfrequently,but

they all belong in an educated vocabulary. For variety, this book also contains newdrillstohelpyoulearnandrememberthewords.

We assume that you have already read the originalWordSmart. In it, we outlinedvariousmethods for learningandmemorizingnewwords,aswellas thebestway tousethedictionaryandthesaurus.Incaseyouhaven’t readour firstvocabularybook,thefollowingisasummaryofthemainpointsandtechniqueswediscussed.

SummaryofWordSmart1. Learning newwords should be fun, not drudgery.Children learn newwords soquickly because they have a keen interest in the world around them and incommunicatingwithothers.Becomereceptivetothewordsaroundyou.

2. Thewordsyouusesayalotaboutyou.Yourvocabularyisthefoundationofyourabilitytothinkandyourabilitytoshareyourthoughtswithotherpeople.• The number of words you know is less important than the care you take inunderstandingtheonesyoualreadyknow.

• Big, important-sounding words are not necessarily better. A good vocabularyconsistsofwordsthateducatedpeopleuseineverydaylife.

• Readwell-written newspapers, magazines, and books. Make the effort to beawareofnewwordsandlearnthemfromcontext.

3. Use a dictionary to verifymeanings—and pronunciations—ofwords that you’velearnedfromcontext.• Simplyreadingthedictionaryisaprettyinefficientwaytolearnnewwords.Thisisbecausemostdictionariesdiscussonlythemeaningsofwords,andnot thecontextinwhichthesewordsareused.

• Not all dictionaries have the same features. Check to make sure that yourdictionaryincludeswordetymologies(thehistoryofthewords’origins).Ideally,itshouldalsoindicateproperusageofsynonymsorrelatedwords.

• Don’t stop at the first definition you read. Be sure to look up secondarymeaningsandpartsofspeech.Notetheetymologytoseewhatotherwordsthewordisrelatedto.Andpracticepronunciation!(Youcanfindgoodpronunciationguidesonlineatwww.merriam-webster.comandwww.howjsay.com.)

• Considerpurchasingagoodportablepaperbackorelectronicdictionarysoyoucanimmediatelyconfirmdefinitionsyouencounterineverydaylife.

4. Synonymsarenot interchangeable!Usea thesaurus to find thepreciseword tocapture yourmeaning, but be sure to verify its exact definition and usage in adictionary.

http://www.merriam-webster.com

http://www.howjsay.com

• The exact word you want to use depends not only on its meaning andconnotation,butalsoontheoverallrhythm,vocabularylevel,variety,andeffectyouaretryingtoachieve.

5. Memorizing a word using mnemonics, creating wacky mental images, andexaminingetymologiescanbehelpful.• Mnemonics are memorization devices that typically work by associatingsomething you’re trying to rememberwith an already familiar idea, image, orpattern(suchasarhymingscheme).“Springforward,fallback”isanexampleofamnemonic.

• The etymology, or root origins, of a word will help your understanding andmemory by relating the word to others you already know. The meanings ofmnemonic,amnesia,andamnesty,forexample,allhavetodowithmemory.

• Careful! Etymology can sometimes bemisleading because themeaning andconnotationofawordchangeoverthecenturies.

6. Use flash cards to review newwords. Be creative whenwriting the flash card:Colorsanddrawingswillhelpyouremembertheword.

7. Keepanotebookofthewordsyoulearn.Strivetolearnfivetotenwordsperday.

8. Usenewwordsyou’ve learned ineverydayconversation. Itmay feelartificialatfirst,but there isnootherway tomakethemapartofyourmorenatural-feelingvocabulary.

HowWeWrotetheWordSmartDefinitionsandEntriesEach entry begins with the preferred pronunciation of the word.We say “preferred”because, depending on the dictionary you use, a word can be pronounced severalways.When a dictionary listsmore than one pronunciation, the first is the preferredpronunciation. The trouble is that excellent dictionaries often disagree about thepreferred pronunciation. Consulting numerous sources, we chose the pronunciationpreferredby themajorityofexperts.Sostickwithourpronunciationandyou’ll neverembarrassyourself.Sayeachwordaloudseveraltimes.Thiswillhelpyourememberthemeaningofthewordaswellasitspronunciation.

Notethepartofspeechfollowingthepronunciation.Manywordscanbeusedasnounsandverbs,orverbsandadjectives,andthepronunciationsoftenvarydependingontheusages.

After the part of speech,we provide the definition and synonyms, often usingWordSmartwords.Sometimeswedeliberatelyuseadifficultword inourdefinition tohelpyourelatethelistingwithotherwordsyououghttoknow.

The troublewithdictionaries is that they rarely illustrate thecorrectusageofaword.We believe that you need to see a word used in a concrete context in order tounderstand it.So following thedefinition, youwill findat least oneor two sentencesillustratingtheproperusageofaword.

Whenitwillhelpyourememberorunderstandaword,wediscussitshistoryorrelateittootherimportantwords.

Finally, we list different parts of speech. Whenever a different part of speech ispronounceddifferentlyfromthemainlisting,weprovideaseparatepronunciation.

HowYouShouldUseThisBookSomepeopleapproachthewordlistfromthebeginningandgoallthewaythroughtotheend.Whilethisisathoroughapproach,itmaybequickertousetheQuickQuizzesthroughout to hone in on the words you need help with. Some Princeton ReviewstudentsstartwiththeFinalExamDrillsthatappearattheendofthebook.Theytakeoneofthesequizzesandthenlookupanywordstheygetwrong.Otherstudentsusethe list of roots at the end of the book and learn groups of related words together.StudentsstudyingfortheSATorGREcanturnimmediatelytoChapters4and5.(TheoriginalWordSmarthasmoreSAT-andGRE-specific lists,and ifyouwantplentyofserious vocabularywork for theGRE, be sure to check out ourWordSmart for theGRE.)

Whatwe’rebasicallysayingisthis:Anywayyouwanttousethisbookisfine—justuseit!

OurPronunciationKeyWe’ve never liked the pronunciation keys most dictionaries use. This may offendpedantsandlexicographers,butwehavedecidedtouseasimplifiedpronunciationkey.Ourkeyisbasedonconsistentphoneticsoundssoyoudon’thavetomemorizeit.Still,it would be a good idea to take a few minutes now to familiarize yourself with it(especiallytheeandthei):

Theletter(s) is(are)pronouncedliketheletter(s)

intheword(s)

a a bat,canah o con,bondaw aw paw,straway a skate,rakei i rim,chin,hinting ing sing,ringoh o row,towoo oo room,boomow ow cow,browoy oy boy,toyu,uh u run,buny(ye,eye) i climb,timech ch chair,chinf f,ph film,phonyg g go,goonj j join,junglek c cool,cats s solid,wispsh sh shoe,wishz z zoo,razorzh s measure

Allotherconsonantsarepronouncedasyouwouldexpect.Capitalizedlettersindicatetheaccentedsyllableinaword.

ThePrincetonReviewApproachThe philosophy behind The Princeton Review is simple: We teach exactly whatstudentsneed toknow,andwemakeourcoursessmart,efficient,and fun.Wewerefoundedintheearly1980s,andjustafewyearslater,wegrewtohavethelargestSATcourseinthecountry.Oursuccessisindisputable.We’reproudtocompareourresultswiththoseofanypreparationcourseinthenation.Inaddition,ourfirstbook,CrackingtheSAT,wasthefirstofitskindtoappearonTheNewYorkTimesbest-sellerlist.

Ourinnovativemethodofteachingvocabularyisresponsibleformuchofoursuccess.Manyofthequestionsonstandardizedtestsarereallyvocabularyquestions,suchasthe vocabulary-in-context items on theVerbal portions of theSAT. To score high onthesetests,studentsneedtoknowtherightwords.

We’ve put a lot of thought into how people learn—and remember—newwords. Themethods we’ve developed are easy to use and, we believe, extremely effective.There’snothingparticularlystartlingaboutthem.Buttheydowork.Andalthoughtheywere developed primarily for high school students, they can be used profitably by

anyonewhowantstobuildastronger,smartervocabulary.

CHAPTER2

Warm-UpTests

ClickheretodownloadaPDFoftheWarm-UpTests.

http://rhlink.com/9781524710880a002

Forthosereaderswhowouldliketotakestockoftheirwordpowerbeforediggingintothisbook,wehaveprovidedabatteryof tests.These testsare funandwillhelpyoulearnalotaboutthesewords.TheanswersappearinChapter12.

SoYouReallyThinkYouKnowHowtoPronounceTheseWords,Eh?Aswesaidearlier,weweresurprisedwhileresearchingthisbookjusthowmanywordsweweremispronouncing,eventhoughweknewthecorrectdefinitions.Thefollowingsamplingofwordsfromthisbookwilltesthowyoumeasureup.Thisisatoughtest.Ifyougetmorethan10correct,callus—youcanhelpuswriteEvenMoreWordSmart!

Warm-UpTest#1:PRONUNCIATIONSBeforelookingatcolumnaorcolumnb,pronounceeachofthefollowingwords.Thenselecttheletterthatcomesclosertoyourpronunciation.

1. accede a. akSEED b. aSEED2. antipodes a. anTIPuhdeez b. ANteepohds3. apposite a. APuhzut b. uhPAHzit4. arsenal a. AHRSnul b. AHRsuhnul5. balk a. bawk b. bawlk6. concomitant a. kunKAHMuhtunt b. kahnkuhMItunt7. contretemps a. KAHNtruhtahn b. KAHNturtemps8. homage a. AHMij b. HAHMij9. pastoral a. PASturul b. paSTAWRul10. phantasm a. FANtazum b. fanTAZum11. psyche a. SYEkee b. syke12. remuneration a. rimyoonuhRAYshun b. reemyoonurAYshun13. schism a. SIZum b. SKIZum14. sovereign a. SAHVrun b. SAHvuhrun15. vagaries a. vuhGAReez b. VAYguhreez

SoYouReallyThinkYouKnowWhatTheseWordsMean,Eh?

It’seasytolookatawordandassumethatyouknowwhatitmeansbecauseitlooksalotlikeawordthatyoualreadyknow.Thefollowingsimple-lookingwordswerealltakenfrom this book.Warning: None of these words is as simple as it looks; some havedeceptivesecondarymeanings.

Warm-UpTest#2a:DEFINITIONSForeachof the followingwords,match thewordon the leftwith itsdefinitionon theright.

1. eclipse a. unintelligent2. vacuous b. surpass3. disconcert c. unusual4. singular d. direct5. channel e. ignorant6. benighted f. hint7. intimate g. expressionless8. inviolate h. disturbgreatly9. temporize i. stall10. impassive j. freefrominjury

Warm-UpTest#2b:DEFINITIONSForeachof the followingwords,match thewordon the leftwith itsdefinitionon theright.

1. posture a. worthyofadmiration2. conversant b. actartificially3. parallel c. harmfulaction4. estimable d. similar5. disservice e. makeuneasy6. privation f. alienate7. captivate g. poverty8. cleave h. familiar9. disquiet i. cling10. disaffect j. fascinate

Warm-UpTest#2c:DEFINITIONSForeachof the followingwords,match thewordon the leftwith itsdefinitionon theright.

1. fuel a. give

2. quizzical b. highlysignificant3. curb c. teasing4. insuperable d. unabletobeovercome5. afford e. plead6. entreat f. stimulate7. conviction g. unbearable8. pregnant h. strongbelief9. intrigue i. restrain10. insufferable j. secretscheme

Warm-UpTest#2d:DEFINITIONSForeachof the followingwords,match thewordon the leftwith itsdefinitionon theright.

1. appraise a. combinedaction2. resignation b. estimatethevalueof3. engaging c. suddenattack4. tortuous d. impartial5. concert e. meansbywhichsomethingisconveyed6. impregnable f. preachy7. sally g. charming8. dispassionate h. winding9. medium i. submission10. sententious j. unconquerable

AreYouSeeingDouble?Anothercauseofvocabularydifficultiesisconfusingadifcultwordwithasimplewordthatlooksalotlikeit.Tryyourhandatthefollowinggame.

Warm-UpTest#3:WORDSURGERYONCONFUSABLESForeachofthefollowingwordsontheleft,followtheparentheticaldirectionstocreatetheworddefinedontheright.

Takethisword anddothis toformawordmeaningthis1. errant (changeoneletter) verybad2. adverse (deleteoneletter) disliking3. cachet (deleteoneletter) hidingplace4. cannon (deleteoneletter) ruleorlaw5. canvas (addoneletter) seekvotesoropinions

6. career (changeoneletter) toswerve7. rational (addoneletter) excuse8. confident (changeoneletter) trustedperson9. corporal addoneletter) material,tangible10. demure (deleteoneletter) object11. disassemble (deletetwoletters) deceive12. systematic (deletetwoletters) throughoutasystem13. important (changetwoletters) urgeannoyingly14. climactic deleteoneletter) havingtodowiththeclimate15. epic (deleteoneletter,addtwo era

AnagramsTheprefix “ana”means tobreakup.The root “gram”means letter.Ananagram isawordorphraseformedfromthebroken-uplettersofanotherwordorphrase.Thenewwordmustuseallthelettersofthewordorphrasetobeatrueanagram.Thewordseatandbleat,forexample,canbeformedfromthelettersofthewordtable,butonlybleatusesalltheletters.

To improve your vocabulary, you need to become conscious of words and letters inyourdaily reading.The followingwordscanbebrokendownand rearranged to formwordsfoundinthisvolume.

Thislasttestisjustforfun.Goodluck!

Warm-UpTest#4:ANAGRAMSFor each of the words or phrases on the left, rearrange the letters to form a worddefinedontheright.

1. askew trails2. dome methodofdoingsomething3. apaint surfacediscolorationcausedbyage4. lever enjoythoroughly5. anote makeamends6. raid verydry7. aview giveuporputaside8. touts plumporstocky9. amain crazedexcitement10. atint contaminate11. amark goodorbademanationsfromaperson12. tints dutyorjob

13. diva eager14. ride disastrous15. told stupidperson16. beat supportsomeoneinwrongdoing17. atoll assign18. acadre archedpassageway19. lamb somethingthatheals20. corns contempt21. lotus clods22. ahotel despise23. tap appropriate24. jaunt smallrulinggroup25. tapes suddenoutpouring26. fire widespread27. lakes quenchorsatisfy

CHAPTER3

TheWords

AABASE(uhBAYS) v tohumiliate;tolowerinesteemordignity;tohumble

• After soaping all the windows in the old widow’s mansion on Halloween, theeighth graders abased themselves and said that they were sorry (after thepolicemantoldthemhewouldarrestthemiftheydidn’t).

• Iabasedmyselfbefore theprincipalbecause I figured Ihad to inorder tokeepfrombeingexpelled.

Seeourlistingfordebase.

ABET (uhBET) v tosupportorencouragesomeone,especiallysomeonewhohasdonesomethingwrong

• Abettingacriminalbygivingheraplacetohidefromthepoliceisitselfacriminalact.

• In their efforts to steal millions from their clients, the dishonest bankers wereabettedbythegreedoftheclientsthemselves.

Youmayoftenhear thiswordaspartof theredundantphraseaidandabet.Thetwowordsreallymeanthesamething.

ABEYANCE(uhBAYuns) n suspension;temporarycessation• Sally wanted to bite Mr. Anderson, but her father held her in abeyance bygrabbinghersuspendersandloopingthemoverthedoorknob.

• Joe’spovertykepthisaddictiontovideogamesinabeyance.

ABJURE(abJOOR) v torepudiate;totakeback;torefrainfrom• Underpressure fromhis teacher, Joeabjured his habit of napping in class andpromisedtokeephiseyesopenfortherestofthesemester.

• Jerryabjured chocolate for several days after eating an entireMississippiMudcakeandbreakingoutinhives.

• ForherNewYear’sresolution,Ellendecidedtoabjurefromabjuringfromanythingthatsheenjoyed.

ABOMINATION(uhbahmuhNAYshun) n somethingdespisedorabhorred;extremeloathing

• The lobby of the hotel was an abomination; there was garbage rotting in theelevator,andtherewereratsrunningonthefurniture.

• BarretshudderedwithabominationatthethoughtofeatingHenry’sfatty,salty,oily

cooking.

Toabominatesomethingistohateit,hateit,hateit.• Judyabominatedthesortofhotelsthathavegarbagerottingintheirelevatorsandratsrunningontheirfurniture.

ABORIGINAL(abuhRIJnul) adj native;datingbacktotheverybeginning• The Aborigines of Australia are the earliest known human inhabitants of thecontinent.Theyarethatcountry’saboriginalinhabitants.

• While working on a new subway tunnel, the construction workers found somefragmentsofpotterythatmayhavebelongedtothecity’saboriginalresidents.

If you see the word “original” inside this word, then you have a built-in and easymnemonicdevice!

ABOUND(uhBOWND) v tobeverynumerous• Troutaboundinthisriver;therearesomanyofthemthatyoucancatchthemwithyourhands.

Toaboundistobeabundant.Aboundingandabundantmeanthesamething.• Susan’s abounding love for Harry will never falter unless she meets someonenicerorHarrymovesaway.

ABROGATE(ABruhgayt) v toabolishorrepealformally;tosetaside;tonullify• Thecommanderoftheshiphadthepowertoabrogatecertainlawsintheeventofanemergency.

When you see thisword, youwill often see theword “treaty” nearby. Toabrogate atreatyistorepealit.Youcanalsoabrogatealaw,anagreement,oraruling.

ACCEDE(akSEED) v togivein;toyield;toagree• Maryacceded to my demand that she give back my driver’s license and stoppretendingtobeme.

• Mymotherwantedmetospendtheholidaysathomewithmyfamilyinsteadofonthebeachwithmyroommates,andaquickcheckofmybankbalanceconvincedmethatIhadnochoicebuttoaccedetoherdesire.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword.

ACCENTUATE(akSENchoowayt) v toemphasize;toaccent;tohighlight• Mr.Jonesaccentuatedthepositivebypointingoutthathispantsfitbetterafterhelosthiswallet.

• Dacia’spointedshoesaccentuatedthelengthandslendernessofherfeet.

QuickQuiz#1Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.Checkyouranswershere.

1. abase a. support2. abet b. native3. abeyance c. suspension4. abjure d. beverynumerous5. abomination e. abolish6. aboriginal f. givein7. abound g. somethingdespised8. abrogate h. humiliate9. accede i. repudiate10. accentuate j. emphasize

ACCESS(AKsess) n therightorabilitytoapproach,enter,oruse• Cynthiawasoneofafewpeopletohaveaccesstothepresident;shecouldgetintoseehimwhenshewantedto.

• Iwantedtoreadmyboss’swrittenevaluationofmyperformance,butemployeesdon’thaveaccesstothosefiles.

• WhentheJokerfinallygainedaccesstoBatman’ssecretBatcave,heredecoratedtheentirehideawayinmorefestivepastelcolors.

Accessissometimesusedasaverbnowadays.Toaccessacomputerfileistoopenitsothatyoucanworkwithit.Ifyouhaveaccesstosomeoneorsomething,thatpersonorthingisaccessibletoyou.Tosaythatabookisinaccessibleistosaythatitishardtounderstand.Inotherwords,it’shardtogetinto.

ACCLAIM(uhKLAYM) v topraisepubliclyandenthusiastically• The author’s new book was acclaimed by all the important reviewers, and itquicklybecameabestseller.

• WhentheCongressoranyothergroupofpeopleapprovesaproposalbymeansofavoicevote,theproposalissaidtohavebeenapprovedbyacclamation.

Acclaimisalsoanoun,asisacclamation(AKluhMAYshun).• Theauthor’snewbookwasmetwithuniversalacclaim.Thereviewers’responsetothebookwasoneofacclamation.

ACCORD(uhKAWRD) v toagree;tobeinharmony;tograntorbestow• Sprawling on the couch and watching TV all day accords with my theory that

intenselazinessisgoodfortheheart.

ACCOUTERMENTS (uh KOO tur munts) n personal clothing, accessories, orequipment;trappings

• Alex is a light traveler; he had crammed all his accouterments into a singleshoppingbag.

• Louannehadsomanysillyaccoutermentsinherexpensivenewkitchenthattherewasn’treallymuchroomforLouanne.

ACCRUE(uhKROO) v toaccumulateovertime• Mysavingsaccountpays interest,but the interestaccruesatsuchaslowpacethatIalmostfeelpoorerthanIdidwhenIopenedit.

• Over the years,Emily’s unpaid parking fines hadaccrued to the point atwhichtheyexceededthevalueofhercar.

ACQUISITIVE(uhKWIZuhtiv) adj seekingortendingtoacquire;greedy• Children are naturally acquisitive; when they see something, they want it, andwhentheywantsomething,theytakeit.

• The auctioneer tried to make the grandfather clock sound interesting andvaluable,butnooneintheroomwasinanacquisitivemood,andtheclockwentunsold.

• Johnny’snaturalacquisitivenessmadeitimpossibleforhimtoleavethejunkyardempty-handed.

ACQUIT(uhKWIT) v tofindnotguilty;tobehaveorconductoneself• Thereputedracketeerhadbeenacquittedofawidevarietyoffederalcrimes.

Anactofacquittingiscalledanacquittal.• Theprosecutorsweresurprisedandsaddenedbythejury’sverdictofacquittal.

Acquitcanalsohaveasomewhatdifferentmeaning.Toacquit oneself inperformingsomedutyistodoadecentjob,usuallyunderadverseconditions.

• Theapprenticecarpenterhadverylittleexperience,butonhisfirstjobheworkedhard;heacquittedhimselflikeapro.

• Themembersofthelacrosseteamhadspentthepreviousweekgoofingaroundinsteadofpracticing,buttheyacquittedthemselvesinthegame,easilydefeatingtheiropponents.

ACRONYM(AKruhnim) n awordmadeupoftheinitialsofotherwordsRadarisanacronym.ThelettersthatformitstandforRadioDetectingAndRanging.Radarisalsoapalindrome,thatis,awordorexpressionthatreadsthesamewayfromright to left as it does from left to right. According to theGuinness Book of World

Records, the longest palindromic composition ever written—beginning “Al, sign it,‘Lover’…”andending“…revolting,Isla”—is100,000wordslong.

ADAGE(ADij) n atraditionalsaying;aproverb• Thereisatleastakerneloftruthintheadage“adagesusuallycontainatleastakerneloftruth.”

• Thepoliticianpromisedtomakeboldnewproposalsinhiscampaignspeech,butallhedidwasspoutstaleadages.

• Thecoachhaddecoratedthe lockerroomwith inspirationaladages,hopingthatthesayingswouldinstillahungerforvictoryinhisplayers.

ADDUCE(uhDOOS) v tobringforwardasanexampleorasproof;tocite• TabithaadducedsomanyreasonsfordoubtingTom’sclaimsthatsoonevenTombegantodoubthisclaims.

• Insupportofhisclient’sweakcase,thelawyeradduceda fewweakprecedentsfromEnglishcommonlaw.


1. access a. accumulate2. acclaim b. wordmadeupofinitials3. accord c. praisepublicly4. accouterments d. agree5. accrue e. findnotguilty6. acquisitive f. trappings7. acquit g. cite8. acronym h. righttoapproach9. adage i. proverb10. adduce j. greedy

ADJOURN(uhJURN) v tosuspenduntilanothertimeInpreciseusage,adjourn implies thatwhatever isbeingadjournedwillatsomepointberesumed.Toadjournameetingistobringittoanendfornow,withthesuggestionthatanothermeetingwilltakeplaceatalatertime.WhenCongressadjournsattheendofayear,itdoesn’tshutitselfdownpermanently;itputsitsbusinessonholduntilthenext session. Thus, the baseball season adjourns each fall, while a single baseballgamemerelyends—unlessitisdelayedbyrainordarkness.

ADJUNCT (AJ unkt) n something added to or connectedwith something else; anassistant

• CookingisjustanadjuncttoMichael’srealhobby,whichiseating.• The enthusiastic publisher released a set of audiotapes as an adjunct to itspopularseriesofbooks.

Anadjunctprofessorisonewholacksapermanentpositiononthefaculty.

ADLIB(ADLib) v toimprovise;tospeakoractspontaneously• Teddyhadn’t known that hewouldbeasked to speakafter dinner, sowhenhewascalledtothemicrophone,hehadtoadlib.

• Thedirectorcomplainedthatthelazystarhadn’tmemorizedhislines; insteadoffollowingthescript,headlibbedinnearlyeveryscene.

ADVENT(ADvent) n arrival;coming;beginning• The roar of gasoline-powered leaf-blowing machines signaled the advent ofautumn.

• Therichindustrialistrespondedtotheadventofhisestate’sfirstincometaxlevybyhiringanewteamofaccountants.

ForChristians,Advent is a season that begins four Sundays beforeChristmas. ThewordinthatsensereferstotheimpendingarrivalofJesusChrist.ForsomeChristians,thewordrefersprimarilytothesecondcomingofChrist.Insecularspeech,adventcanbeusedtorefertothearrivalorbeginningofanything.

ADVENTITIOUS (ad vent TISH us) adj accidental; connected to but nonethelessunrelated;irrelevant

• Arthur’sskillsasabusinessmanareadventitioustohispositionatthecompany;thebosshiredhimbecausehewantedaregulargolfpartner.

ADVOCATE(ADvuhkut) n apersonwhoarguesinfavorofaposition• Lulubelieves ineliminating tariffsand import restrictions; she isanadvocate offreetrade.

• Theproposedlawwasagoodone,butitdidn’tpassbecauseithadnoadvocate;nosenatorsteppedforwardtospeakinitsfavor.

Advocate(ADvuhkayt)canalsobeaverb.• The representative of the paint company advocated cleaning the deck beforepaintingit,butwewereinahurrysowepaintedrightoverthedirt.

Advocacy(ADvuhkuhsee)issupportoforagreementwithaposition.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthesewords.

AFFIDAVIT(afuhDAYvit) n aswornwrittenstatementmadebeforeanofficial• Deannawas too ill to appear at the trial, so the judge accepted heraffidavit inplaceoforaltestimony.

AFFILIATE(uhFILeeayt) v tobecomecloselyassociatedwith• Thetestingcompanyisnotaffiliatedwiththeprestigiousuniversity,butbyusingasimilarreturnaddress,itimpliesacloseconnection.

• Inanattempt toestablishherselfasan independentvoice, thecandidatechosenottoaffiliateherselfwithanypoliticalparty.

Ifyouareaffiliatedwithsomething,youareanaffiliate(uhFILeeut)andyouhaveanaffiliation(uhfileeAYshun).

• The local television station is an affiliate of the major network; it carries thenetwork’sprogramsinadditiontoitsown.

• WesleyhadalifelongaffiliationwiththeYMCA;hewasamemberallhislife.

AFFLICTION (uhFLIKshun) n misery; illness;great suffering;a sourceofmisery,illness,orgreatsuffering

• Athlete’sfootisanafflictionthatbringsgreatpainanditchinesstoitssufferers.• Martha’s eczemawas anaffliction to her; it never gave her amoment’s peacefromtheitching.

• Workingintheghettobroughttheyoungdoctorintocontactwithmanyafflictions,fewofwhichhadmedicalcures.

AFFORD(uhFAWRD) v togive;tosupply;toconferupon• Theholidayseasonaffordedmuchhappinesstothechildren,wholovedopeningpresents.

• The poorly organized rummage saleafforded a great deal of attention but littleprofittothecharitableorganization.

• Marilyn’sbusyscheduleaffordedlittletimeforleisure.


1. adjourn a. personarguingforaposition2. adjunct b. accidental3. adlib c. becomecloselyassociated4. advent d. arrival5. adventitious e. misery

6. advocate f. suspend7. affidavit g. swornwrittenstatement8. affiliate h. give9. affliction i. improvise10. afford j. somethingadded

AFFRONT(uhFRUNT) n insult;adeliberateactofdisrespect• Jim’sdreadfulscoreonthebackninewasanaffronttotheancientgameofgolf.• AmandathoughtshewaspayingLizacomplimentwhenshesaidthatshe likedhernewhaircolor,butLiztookitasanaffrontbecauseshewasupsetaboutthegreenishspotsthehairstylistcouldn’tcover.

Affrontcanalsobeaverb.• Laura affronted me by continually sticking out her tongue as I addressed theclass.

Rudeanddisrespectfulbehaviorcanbedescribedaseffrontery(iFRUNtuhree).

AFTERMATH (AF turmath) n consequence; events following someoccurrence orcalamityThiswordcomesfromMiddleEnglishwordsmeaningaftermowing;theaftermathwasthenewgrassthatgrewinafieldafterthefieldhadbeenmowed.Incurrentusage,thispreciseoriginalmeaningisextendedmetaphorically.

• Sicknessandpovertyareoftentheaftermathofwar.• In theaftermath of their defeat at the state championship, themembers of thefootballteamfoughtendlesslywithoneanotherandceasedtofunctionasateam.

AGGRANDIZE (uh GRAN dyze) v to exaggerate; to cause to appear greater; toincrease(something)inpower,reputation,wealth,etc.

• Michelecouldn’tdescribetheachievementsofhercompanywithoutaggrandizingthem.Thatwastoobad,becausethecompany’sachievementsweresubstantialenoughtostandontheirown,withoutexaggeration.

Tobeself-aggrandizingistoaggressivelyincreaseone’sposition,power,reputation,orwealth,alwayswithadistinctlynegativeconnotation.

• Harrydoesn’treallyneedthirtybathrooms;buildingthatbighousewasmerelyanactofself-aggrandizement.

AGGRIEVE(uhGREEV) v tomistreat;todogrievousinjuryto;todistress• The ugly behavior of the juvenile delinquent aggrieved his poor parents, whocouldn’timaginewhattheyhaddonewrong.

Tobeaggrievedistohaveagrievance.• The jury awarded tenmillion dollars to the aggrieved former employees of theconvictedembezzler.

AGHAST(uhGAST) adj terrified;shocked• Eventheveteranswereaghastwhentheysawtheextentof thecarnageonthebattlefield.

• Thechildrenthoughttheirparentswouldbethrilledtohavebreakfastinbed,butbothparentswereaghastwhentheywokeup to find theirblanketssoakedwithorangejuiceandcoffee.

ALCHEMY(ALkuhmee) n aseeminglymagicalprocessoftransformationIntheMiddleAges,alchemistswerepeoplewhosoughtwaystoturnbasemetalsintogold,attemptedtocreateelixirsthatwouldcurediseasesorkeeppeoplealiveforever,andengaged in similarly futile pseudo-scientific quests.Alchemy today refers to anyprocessoftransformationthatismetaphoricallysimilar.

• Throughthealchemyofhairsprayandmakeup,Ameliatransformedherselffromahagintoaprincess.

ALIENATE(AYleeuhnayt) v toestrange;tocausetofeelunwelcomeorunloved;tomakehostileAn alien is a foreigner or stranger, whether from another planet or not. To alienatesomeoneistomakethatpersonfeellikeanalien.

• The brusque teacheralienated his students bymocking themwhen theymademistakes.

Tobealienatedistobeinastateofalienation(ayleeuhNAYshun).• Sharonfounditnearlyimpossibletomakefriends;asaresult,herfreshmanyearincollegewascharacterizedprimarilybyfeelingsofalienation.

ALLEGIANCE(uhLEEjuns) n loyaltyTopledgeallegiancetotheflagistopromisetobeloyaltoit.

• Nolan’sallegiancetohisemployerendedwhenacompetingcompanyofferedhimajobattwicehissalary.

• The allegiance of the palace guard shifted to the rebel leader as soon as itbecameclearthatthekinghadbeenoverthrown.

ALLEGORY (AL uh gawr ee) n a story in which the characters are symbols withmoralorspiritualmeanings

• Insteadoflecturingthechildrendirectlyabouttheimportanceofstraighteninguptheir rooms,Mrs.Smith told themanallegory inwhicha littleboynamedGoodwasgivenallthecandyintheworldaftermakinghisbed,whileamessylittlegirl

namedBadhadnothingtoeatbutturnipsandbroccoli.

ALLOT(uhLAHT) v toapportion,allocate,orassign• Theprincipalallottedstudentstoclassroomsbywritingtheirnamesonpiecesofpaperandthrowingthepaperintotheair.

• The president allotted several ambassadorships to men and women who hadcontributedheavilytohiscampaign.

Agroupofthingsthathavebeenallottedisreferredtoasanallotment.• George didn’t like his natural allotment of physical features, so he had themalteredbyaplasticsurgeon.


1. affront a. consequence2. aftermath b. mistreat3. aggrandize c. estrange4. aggrieve d. apportion5. aghast e. terrified6. alchemy f. seeminglymagicaltransformation7. alienate g. loyalty8. allegiance h. symbolicstory9. allegory i. exaggerate10. allot j. insult

ALTERCATION(awlturKAYshun) n aheatedfight,argument,orquarrel• Newlyweds Mary and Bill were fighting about the proper way to garglemouthwash,andthesoundoftheiraltercationwokeupseveralotherguestsinthehotel.

• Dr. Mason’s lecture was so controversial and inflammatory that it led to analtercationamongthemembersoftheaudience.

AMASS(uhMAS) v topileup;toaccumulate;tocollectforone’sownuse• Bylivingfrugallyforfiftyyears,Jedamassedalargefortune.• Billy collected bottle caps so assiduously that, before his parents realizedwhatwashappening,hehadamassedthelargestcollectionintheworld.

• By theendof theweek, theprotestgroupshadamassedenoughsignatureson

theirpetitionstobeassuredofrecognitionattheconvention.

AMID(uhMID)prepinthemiddleof• Amid thenoiseandbright lights of theFourthof July celebration, tiredoldTakisleptlikealog.

• Whenthestoredetectivefoundher,thelost littlegirlwassittingamidagroupofteddybearsinawindowdisplay.

TheEnglishsay,“Amidst,”insteadofamid,butyoushouldn’t.Unless,thatis,youareinEngland.Youcan,however,say,“Inthemidst.”

ANATHEMA(uhNATHuhmuh) n somethingorsomeoneloathedordetested• AlgebraisanathematoDex;everytimeheseesanequation,hebecomessicktohisstomach.

• The parents becameanathema to the greedy children as soon as the childrenrealizedtheyhadbeenleftoutofthewill.

• The women in fur coats were anathema to the members of the animal-rightsgroup.

ANCILLARY(ANsuhleree) adj subordinate;providingassistance• Although George earned his living as a high-powered Wall Street investmentbanker, selling peanuts at weekend Little League games provided an ancillarysourceofincome.

Anancillaryemployee isonewhohelpsanother.Servantsaresometimesreferred toasancillaries(ANsuhlereez).


ANGST(ahnkst) n anxiety;fear;dreadThisistheGermanwordforanxiety.Acloselyrelatedwordisanguish.InEnglish,itisavoguishwordthatisusuallymeanttoconveyadeeper,moredown-to-the-bonetypeofdreadthancanbedescribedwithmereEnglishwords.

• The thought of his impending examinations, forwhich he had not yet begun tostudy,filledHermanwithangst,makingitimpossibleforhimtostudy.


ANNEX(uhNEKS) v toaddorattach• OldMcDonaldincreasedthesizeofhisfarmbyannexinganadjoiningfield.

Asmallconnectingstructureaddedtoabuildingisoftencalledanannex(ANeks).

• Theannexoftheelementaryschoolhadasmallgymnasium.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofbothpartsofspeech.

ANNUITY (uhNOOuh tee) n anannual allowanceor income; theannual interestpaymentonaninvestment;anyregularallowanceorincome

• Thecompany’spensionfundprovidesanannuity for itsretiredemployees;eachreceivesregularpaymentsfromthefund.

• NoneofHerbert’sbookshadbeenbestsellers,butallof themwerestill inprint,andtakentogethertheirroyaltiesamountedtoasubstantialannuity.

• Thewidowwouldhavebeendestituteifherhusbandhadnotboughtaninsurancepolicythatprovidedamodestannuityfortherestofherlife.

ANTEDATE(ANtidayt) v tobeolderthan;tohavecomebeforeThe root “ante” means before or in front of. To antedate is to be dated beforesomethingelse.

• TheJacksons’houseantedates theDeclarationof Independence; itwasbuilt in1774.

• Mrs.Simpson’sbirthantedatesthatofherdaughterbytwenty-fouryears.

ANTERIOR(anTIReeur) adj situatedinfront• The children enjoy sitting dumbly and staring at the anterior surface of thetelevisionset.

• Yourchestissituatedontheanteriorportionofyourbody.(Theanteriorendofasnakeisitshead.)

Theoppositeofanteriorisposterior.Youaresittingontheposteriorendofyourbody.


1. altercation a. somethingloathed2. amass b. add3. amid c. inthemiddleof4. anathema d. annualallowance5. ancillary e. heatedfight6. angst f. subordinate7. annex g. situatedinfront8. annuity h. pileup

9. antedate i. anxiety10. anterior j. beolder

ANTHOLOGY(anTHAHLuhjee) n acollection,especiallyofliteraryworksToanthologize (an THAHL uh jyze) a group of literary works or other objects is tocollectthemintoananthology.

• TheNortonAnthologyofEnglishLiterature isacollectionof importantworksbyEnglishwriters.

• Thechiefexecutiveofficerofthebigcompanythoughtsohighlyofhimselfthatheprivatelypublishedananthologyofhissayings.

• Mr.Bailey,aterriblehypochondriac,wasawalkinganthologyofsymptoms.

ANTHROPOMORPHIC(anthruhpuhMAWRfik) adj ascribinghumancharacteristicstononhumananimalsorobjectsThiswordisderivedfromtheGreekwordanthropos,whichmeansmanorhuman,andtheGreekwordmorphos,whichmeansshapeorform.Tobeanthropomorphic is toseeahumanshape (either literallyormetaphorically) inthingsthatarenothuman.Tospeakofthehandsofaclock,ortosaythatacarhasamind of its own, is to be anthropomorphic. To be anthropomorphic is to engage inanthropomorphism.

ANTIPODAL (an TIP ud ul) adj situated on opposite sides of the Earth; exactlyoppositeThenorthandsouthpolesareliterallyantipodal;thatis,theyareexactlyoppositeeachotherontheglobe.ThereisagroupofislandsnearNewZealandcalledtheAntipodes(anTIPuhdeez).TheislandswerenamedbyEuropeanexplorerswhobelievedtheyhadtraveledjustaboutasfarawayfromtheirhomeastheypossiblycould.Antipodalcanalsobeusedtodescribeoppositesthathavenothingtodowithgeography.

• JohnandMaryheldantipodalpositionsonthesubjectofworking.Marywasforit,andJohnwasagainstit.

Thenounisantipodes(anTIPuhdeez).


ANTIQUITY(anTIKwuhtee) n ancientness;ancienttimes• TheslowspeedatwhichLawrencewasdrivingwasnot surprising, consideringtheantiquityofhiscar.

• Tamashalovedstudyingancienthistorysomuchthatshedidn’treallypaymuch

attentiontothepresent;whenshewasn’treadingoldvolumesinthelibrary,shewalkedaroundinadaze,herheadspinningwithdreamsofantiquity.

Overpricedchairsandotherfurniturefromtheoldendaysarecalledantiques.Objectsorideasthataretooold-fashionedtobeofuseanymorearesaidtobeantiquated(ANtuhkwaytud).(Don’tthrowthemout,though;sellthemtoanantiquesdealer.)Apersonwhostudiesancientthingsiscalledanantiquary(ANtuhkweree)or,lesscorrectly,anantiquarian(antuhKWERyun).


APERTURE(APurchur) n anopening• Macon’s underpants were plainly visible through the aperture that suddenlyappearedalongtherearseamofhisuniform.

Theopeninginsideacamera’slensiscalleditsaperture.Aphotographercontrolstheamountoflightthatstrikesthefilmbyadjustingthesizeoftheaperture.

APEX(AYpeks) n highestpointAmountain’ssummitisalsoitsapex.

• Jerry’s score of 162, though poor by most standards, was the apex of hisachievementinbowling;itwasthebestscoreheearnedinthirtyyears.

• Mary Anne was at the apex of her career; she was the president of her ownsoftwarecompany,andeveryoneinherindustrylookeduptoher.

APOGEE (AP uh jee) n the most distant point in the orbit of the moon or of anartificialsatelliteApogeeisderivedfromGreekwordsmeaningawayfromtheEarth.Theapogeeofthemoon’sorbit is thepointatwhich themoon is farthest from theEarth.Thewordcanalsobeusedfiguratively,inwhichcaseitusuallymeansprettymuchthesamethingasapex.

• ThoughMaryAnnewasat theapogeeofhercareer,shedidn’t feel thather lifewasasuccesssinceshenolongerseemedtobelearningnewskills.

Theoppositeofapogee isperigee (PERuh jee),which isderived fromGreekwordsmeaningneartheEarth.

• Atperigee,thesatellitewasfaintlyvisibleontheEarthtoanyonewithagoodpairofbinoculars.

Incarefulusage,moonsandotherobjectsorbitingplanetsotherthantheEarthdonothaveapogeesandperigees.

APOPLEXY (AP uh plek see) n stroke (that is, numbness and paralysis resulting

fromthesuddenlossofbloodflowtothebrain)Thiswordturnsuprepeatedlyinoldnovels.Nowadays,itsuseismostlyfigurative.IfIsaythatIgavemybossapoplexywhenItoldhimthatIwasgoingtotaketherestofthe day off, I mean that he became so angry that he seemed to be in danger ofexploding.Tosuffer fromapoplexy,whether literallyor figuratively, is tobeapoplectic(apuhPLEKtik).

• Theprincipalwasapoplecticwhenhediscoveredthatthetenthgradershadtornupalltheanswersheetsforthepreviousday’sSAT;hewassoangrythathisfaceturnedbrightred.


APOSTASY(uhPAHStuhsee) n abandonmentorrejectionoffaithorloyalty• Thecongregationwasappalledbytheapostasyofitsformerpriest,whohadleftthe church in order to found a new religion based on winning numbercombinationsinthestatelottery.

• Thepresidentwashurtbytheapostasyofhisclosestadvisers,mostofwhomhaddecidedtocooperatewiththespecialprosecutorbytestifyingagainsthim.

Apersonwhocommitsapostasyiscalledanapostate(uhPAHStayt).• In the cathedral of English literature, Professor Hanratty was an apostate; hethoughtthatShakespearewasnothingmorethananuntalentedoldhack.


APPALLING(uhPAWLing) adj causinghorrororconsternation• Austin’stablemannerswereappalling;hechewedwithhismouthwideopen,andhepickedhisteethwiththetipofhisknifewhileheate.

ThewordappallcomesfromaFrenchwordmeaningtomakepale.Tobeappalledistobesohorrifiedthatonelosesthecolorinone’scheeks.

APPARITION(apuhRISHun) n aghostorghostlyobject• Barbsaidthatshehadseenanapparitionandthatshewasprettysurethatithadbeen the ghost ofPresidentGrant, but it turned out to be nothingmore than asheetflappingontheclothesline.

• Thebubblingoasison thehorizonwasmerelyanapparition; therewasnothingtherebutmoreburningsand.

APPELLATION(apuhLAYshun) n aname• Percivalhadahighlysingularappellation;thatis,hehadanunusualname.


1. anthology a. causinghorror2. anthropomorphic b. opening3. antipodal c. exactlyopposite4. antiquity d. abandonmentoffaith5. aperture e. ascribinghumancharacteristicstononhumans6. apex f. highestpoint7. apogee g. stroke8. apoplexy h. ancientness9. apostasy i. literarycollection10. appalling j. mostdistantpointoforbit

APPENDAGE(uhPENdij) n somethingaddedontosomethingelse;asupplementToappendistoaddsomethingontosomethingelse.Yourappendix(uhPENdiks),ifyoustillhaveone,isasmall,apparentlyuselessorganattached(orappended)toyourintestine. You have nomore than oneappendix, but you have severalappendages,includingyourarmsand legs.Yourarmsand legsareappended to the trunkofyourbody.

• Beth’shusbandneverseemedtobemorethananarm’slengthawayfromher.Heseemedlesslikeaspousethanlikeanappendage.

• Billycreatedamodelofaspiderwith twoextraappendages; thespiderhadtenlegsinsteadofeight.

APPORTION(uhPAWRshun) v todistributeproportionally;todivideintoportions• Therewasnothingtoeatexceptonehotdog,soMr.Lucascarefullyapportioneditamongtheeightfamishedcampers.

• Because the property had been apportioned equally among Mr. Smith’s ninechildren,nonehadenoughlandonwhichtobuildahouse.

• The grant money was apportioned in such a way that the wealthy schoolsreceivedagreatdealwhilethepooronesreceivedalmostnothing.

APPOSITE(APuhzut) adj distinctlysuitable;pertinent• The appearance of the mayor at the dedication ceremony was accidental butapposite; his great-grandfather had donated the land on which the statue hadbeenerected.

• At the end of the discussion, the moderator made an apposite remark that

seemedtobringtheentiredisagreementtoahappyconclusion.


APPRAISE(uhPRAYZ) v toestimatethevalueorqualityof;tojudge• Whenwehadthebeautifuloldringappraisedbyajeweler,weweresurprisedtolearnthatthelargediamondinitscenterwasactuallymadeofglass.

• The general coldly appraised the behavior of his officers and found it to bewanting.

Anactofappraisingiscalledanappraisal(uhPRAYzul).• It is a good idea to seek an independent appraisal of an old painting beforebiddingmanymillionsofdollarsforitinanauction.

APPRISE(uhPRYZE) v togivenoticeto;toinformBecareful not to confuse thiswordwithappraise. They don’tmean the same thing,eventhoughthere’sonlyoneletter’sdifferencebetweenthem.

• Thepolicemanapprisedthesuspectofhisrighttoremainsilent,butthesuspectwassointoxicatedthathedidn’tseemtonotice.

• Thepresident’sadvisershadfullyapprisedhimof theworseningsituation in theMiddleEast,andnowhewasreadytoact.

APPURTENANCE(uhPURTnuns) n somethingextra;anappendage;anaccessory• Thesalarywasn’tmuch,buttheappurtenanceswereterrific;assuperintendentoftheluxuryapartmentbuilding,Joegottoliveinabeautifulapartmentandhadfreeaccesstothetenniscourtsandswimmingpool.


APROPOS(apruhPOH) adj appropriate;comingattherighttimeThiswordiscloseinmeaningtoappropriate(uhPROHpreeut),towhichitiscloselyrelated.

• Susan’slovingtoastattheweddingdinnerwasapropos;theclownsuitsheworewhilemakingitwasnot.

• Theprofessor’sspeechwasaboutendangeredspecies,andtheluncheonmenuwasperverselyapropos:Bengal-tigerburgersandostrich-eggomelets.

Theoppositeofaproposismalapropos.Seeourlistingformalapropism.

APT(apt) adj appropriate;havingatendencyto;likely• Theheadmaster’sharshremarksabout the importanceofhonestywereapt; the

entireseniorclasshadjustbeencaughtcheatingonanexam.• Charlieissoskinnythatheisapttobeginshiveringthemomenthestepsoutoftheswimmingpool.

• IfElleninsultsmeagain,I’mapttoleavetheroom.Apt,apropos,andappositehavesimilarmeanings.

QuickQuiz#7Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.Check your answers here. Note that “something extra” is the answer for twoquestions.

1. apparition a. somethingextra(2)2. appellation b. givenoticeto3. appendage c. ghost4. apportion d. likely5. appraise e. distributeproportionally6. apprise f. appropriate7. appurtenance g. name8. apropos h. estimatethevalueof9. apposite i. distinctlysuitable10. apt

ARCADE (ahr KAYD) n a passageway defined by a series of arches; a coveredpassagewaywithshopsoneitherside;anareafilledwithcoin-operatedgamesIn themostpreciseusage,anarcade isanarea flankedbyarches in thesamewaythatacolonnadeisanareaflankedbycolumns.Infact,anarcadecanbeacolonnade,ifthearchesaresupportedbycolumns.

• Thenewbuildingconsistedofanumberofsmallarcadesradiatinglikethespokesofawheelfromalargeplazacontainingafountain.

• Thepennyarcadewasmisnamedsincenoneofthegamestherecostlessthanaquarter.

ARCHIPELAGO(ahrkuhPELuhgoh) n alargegroupofislands• Sumatra,Borneo,andthePhilippinesareamongthenumerousislandnationsthatconstitutetheMalayArchipelago.

• Thedisgruntled taxpayerdeclaredhimself kingofanuninhabitedarchipelago intheSouthPacific,buthisnewcountrydisappearedtwiceeachdayathightide.

• The children lay on their backs in the field and gazed up with wonder at the

shimmeringarchipelagooftheMilkyWay.

ARCHIVES (ahr KYVZE) n a place where historical documents or materials arestored;thedocumentsormaterialsthemselvesIncarefulusage,thiswordisalwaysplural.

• Thehistoricalsociety’sarchiveswereamess;boxesofvaluabledocumentshadsimply been dumped on the floor, and none of the society’s records were inchronologicalorder.

• Thecuratorwassoprotectiveoftheuniversity’sarchivesthathehoveredbehindthe researcher andmoanedevery timehe turned a page in one of the ancientvolumes.

Archive canalsobea verb.Toarchive computer data is to transfer them (in carefulusage,dataisplural)ontodisksortapesandstoretheminasafespot.

Apersonwhoarchivesthingsinarchivesiscalledanarchivist(AHRkuhvust).Thingsthathavetodowitharchivesaresaidtobearchival(ahrKYEvul).Thiswordhasotherusesaswell.Intheworldofphotocopying,forexample,acopythatdoesn’tdeteriorateovertimeissaidtobearchival.

• A Xerox copy is archival; a copy made on heat-sensitive paper by a facsimilemachineisnot.


ARID(ARid) adj verydry;lackinglife,interest,orimagination• Whentheloggershadfinished,whathadoncebeenalushforestwasnowanaridwasteland.

• The professor was not known for having a sense of humor. His philosophicalwritingswere soarid that a reader could almost hear the pages crackle as heturnedthem.

ARMAMENT(AHRmuhmunt) n implementsofwar;theprocessofarmingforwarThiswordisoftenusedintheplural:armaments.Thewordarmscanbeusedtomeanweapons.Toarmagunistoloaditandreadyitforfire.

• In the sorry history of the relationship between the two nations, argument ledinexorablytoarmament.

• Sarahhaddreamsofbeingadistinguishedprofessorofmathematics,butmidwaythrough graduate school she decided that she just didn’t have the intellectualarmament,soshebecameawaitressinstead.

• Themegalomaniacalleaderspentsomuchonarmamentsthattherewaslittlelefttospendonfood,andhissuperblyequippedsoldiershadtobeginordertoeat.

ARMISTICE(AHRmuhstus) n truce• ArmisticeDay(theoriginalnameofVeteransDay)commemoratedtheendoftheFirstWorldWar.

• Thewarringcommandersnegotiatedabriefarmisticesothatdeadandwoundedsoldierscouldberemovedfromthebattlefield.

ARRAIGN(uhRAYN) v tobringtocourttoansweranindictment;toaccuse• ThesuspectwasindictedonMonday,arraignedonTuesday,triedonWednesday,andsentencedonThursday.

• Theeditorialinthestudentnewspaperarraignedtheadministrationforpermittingthevandalstoescapeprosecution.

Anactofarraigningiscalledanarraignment.• At his arraignment in federal court, Harry entered a plea of not guilty to thechargesthathadbeenbroughtagainsthim.

ARRANT(ARunt) adj utter;unmitigated;badThisword isoften followedbyeithernonsenseor fool.Arrantnonsense iscomplete,total,no-doubt-about-itnonsense.Anarrantfoolisanabsolutefool.

Arrantshouldnotbeconfusedwitherrant(ERunt),whichmeanswanderingorstrayingorinerror.Anerrantfoolisafoolwhodoesn’tknowwherehe’sgoing.

ARREARS(uhRIRZ) n thestateofbeingindebt;unpaiddebts• Amandawasseveralmonths inarrearswith the rentonherapartment,andherlandlordthreatenedtoevicther.

• After Jason settled his arrears at the club, the committee voted to restore hismembership.

ARSENAL(AHRSnul) n acollectionofarmaments;afacilityforstoringorproducingarmaments;asupplyofanythinguseful

• Thenation’snucleararsenal is largeenough todestroy theworld several timesover.

• Forobviousreasons,smokingwasnotpermittedinsidethearsenal.• Jeremyhadanarsenalofpowertoolsthatheusedinstagingremodelingassaultsagainsthishouse.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword.Thewordarsenalhasonlytwosyllables.

ARTICULATE(ahrTIKyuhlayt) v topronounceclearly;toexpressclearly

• Sissyhadalispandcouldnotarticulatethessound;shecalledherselfThithy.• Saeedhadno troublearticulatinghisneeds;hehad typedupa long listof toysthathewantedforChristmas,andhehandedittoSantaClaus.

Articulate(ahrTIKyuhlut)canalsobeanadjective.Anarticulatepersonisonewhoisgoodatarticulating.



1. arcade a. wheredocumentsarestored2. archipelago b. utter3. archives c. implementsofwar4. arid d. unpaiddebts5. armament e. accuse6. armistice f. groupofislands7. arraign g. verydry8. arrant h. truce9. arrears i. archedpassageway10. arsenal j. supplyofsomethinguseful

ARTISAN(AHRTuhzun) n apersonskilledinacraft• Thelittlebowl—whichtheAndersons’dogknockedoffthetableandbrokeintoamillionpieces—hadbeenmeticulouslyhandmadebyacharmingoldartisanwhohadusedaglazingtechniquepasseddownforgenerations.

ASCERTAIN(asurTAYN) v todeterminewithcertainty;tofindoutdefinitely• With a quick flick of his tongue,Wendell ascertained that the pie that had justlandedonhisfacewasindeedlemonmeringue.

• The police tried to trace the phone call, but they were unable to ascertain theexactlocationofthecaller.

• Larrybelievedhiswifewasseeinganotherman;theprivatedetectiveascertainedthatthatwasthecase.


ASCRIBE(uhSKRYBE) v tocredittoorassign;toattribute• Marywasabitofanut;sheascribedpowerfulhealingpropertiestothegravelinherdriveway.

• WhenthescholarascribedtheunsignedlimericktoShakespeare,hiscolleaguesdidnotbelievehim.

ASKANCE(uhSKANS)advwithsuspicionordisapproval• WhenHermansaidthathehadrepairedthecarbypouringappleciderintoitsgastank,Jerrylookedathimaskance.

• Thesubstituteteacherlookedaskanceatherstudentswhenthey insistedthat itwastheschool’spolicytoawardanAtoanystudentwhoaskedforone.

ASPERSION(uhSPURzhun) n aslanderousordamningremarkTocastaspersions istoutterhighlycriticalorderogatoryremarks.Tocallsomeoneacold-bloodedmurdereristocastanaspersiononthatperson’scharacter.

• Thelocalcandidatehadnolegitimatecriticismstomakeofhisopponent’srecord,soheresortedtoaspersions.

ASSAIL(uhSAYL) v toattackvigorously• With a series of bitter editorials, the newspaper assailed the group’s efforts toprovidefreecosmeticsurgeryforwealthypeoplewithdoublechins.

• We hid behind the big maple tree and assailed passing cars with salvos ofsnowballs.

Anattackerissometimescalledanassailant(uhSAYlunt),especiallybypoliceofficersontelevisionshows.

ASSERT(uhSURT) v toclaimstrongly;toaffirm• Thedefendantcontinuedtoassertthathewasinnocent,despitethefactthatthepolice had found a clear videotape of the crime, recovered a revolver with hisfingerprintsonit,andfoundallthestolenmoneyinthetrunkofhiscar.

• WhenBuzzassertedthattheUFOwasahoax,thelittlegreencreaturepulledoutaray-gunandincineratedhim.

Toassertyourselfistoexpressyourselfboldly.• Mildredalwayslostargumentsbecauseshewastootimidtoassertherself.

ASSESS(uhSES) v toevaluate;toestimate;toappraise• Whenseventhugscarryingbaseballbatsbeganwalkingacrossthestreettowardher car, Dolores quickly assessed the situation and drove away at about onehundredmilesperhour.

• Assessing thedamagecausedbythestormwasdifficultbecausethestormhadwashedawayalltheroads,makingitnearlyimpossibletoenterthearea.

• Afterassessing his chances in the election—only his parentswould promise tovoteforhim—thecandidatedroppedoutoftherace.

Toreassessistorethinkorreevaluatesomething.

ASTRINGENT(uhSTRINjunt) adj harsh;severe;withering• Edmund’sastringentreviewenumeratedsomanydreadfulflawsinthenewbookthatthebookquicklydisappearedfromthebest-sellerlist.

• The coach’s remarks to the team after losing the game were astringent butapparentlyeffective:Theteamwonthenextthreegamesinarow.

Astringentisrelatedtostringent,whichmeansstrict.Thenounisastringency.


1. articulate a. personskilledinacraft2. artisan b. slanderousremark3. ascertain c. creditto4. ascribe d. claimstrongly5. askance e. harsh6. aspersion f. pronounceclearly7. assail g. withsuspicion8. assert h. evaluate9. assess i. attackvigorously10. astringent j. determinewithcertainty

ASYLUM (uhSYElum) n amentalhospitalorsimilar institution;refuge;aplaceofsafety

• AfterDr.Jones incorrectlydiagnosedhernail-bitingas thesymptomofaseverementalillness,Stellawasconfinedinalunaticasylumforthirty-sevenyears.

• “Thewoodsaremyasylum,”Marjoriesaid. “Igo there toescape the insanityoftheworld.”

• The United States granted asylum to the political dissidents from a foreigncountry,thuspermittingthemtoremainintheUnitedStatesandnotforcingthemtoreturntotheirnativecountry,wheretheycertainlywouldhavebeenimprisoned.

ATONE(uhTOHN) v tomakeamendsThe verb atone is followed by the preposition “for.” To atone for your sins is to dosomethingthatmakesupforthefactthatyoucommittedtheminthefirstplace.

• Thepianistatonedforhispastfailuresbywinningeveryawardattheinternationalcompetition.

Thenounisatonement.• The thief donated his ill-gotten cash to the orphanage as an atonement forstealingfromthebank.

ATROPHY(Atruhfee) v towitheraway;todeclinefromdisuse• Theweightlifter’s rightarmwasmuchthinnerand lessbulgy thanhis left; ithadatrophiedseverelyduringthesixweeksithadbeeninacast.

• Thestudents’ interest in algebrahadatrophied to thepoint atwhich they couldscarcelykeeptheireyesopeninclass.

Theoppositeofatrophyishypertrophy(hyePURtruhfee).• Weightliftingmakesamusclegrow,orexperiencehypertrophy.


ATTEST (uh TEST) v to give proof of; to declare to be true or correct; to givetestimony

• Helen’s skillful guitar playing attested to the endless hours she had spentpracticing.

Toattesttosomethingistotestifyorbearwitness.• Attheparolehearing,thepoliceofficerattestedtoHenry’seagernesstorobmorebanks,andthejudgesentHenrybacktoprisonforatleastanotheryear.

ATTRIBUTE(uhTRIByoot) v tocredittoorassign;toascribe• Sallyattributed her success as a student to the fact that she always watchedtelevisionwhiledoingherhomework.ShesaidthatwatchingScooby-Doomadeiteasiertoconcentrateonherarithmetic.Sally’sparentswerenotconvincedbythisattribution(atruhBYOOshun).

• The scientist, who was always making excuses, attributed the failure of hisexperimenttothefactthatithadbeenrainingthatdayinPhoenix,Arizona.

Attribute(Atruhbyoot)canalsobeanoun,inwhichcaseitmeansacharacteristicoradistinctivefeature.

• Greatbigarmsand legsareamong theattributesofmanyprofessional footballplayers.


AUGUR(AWgur) v toserveasanomenorbeasign;topredictorforetell• Themanymistakesmadeby the dancers during dress rehearsal did notaugurwellfortheirperformancelaterthatnight.

• The eleven touchdowns and four field goals scored in the first quarterauguredvictoryforthehighschoolfootballteam.

Theactofauguringiscalledaugury(AWguhree).• Elizabethbelievedthatmostofthemarketconsultantshadnosolidbasisfortheirpredictionsandthatfinancialauguryaspracticedbythemwasmerehocus-pocus.

AUGUST(awGUST) adj inspiringadmirationorawe• The prince’s funeral was dignified and august; the wagon with his coffin wasdrawnbyadozenblackhorses,andtheroadonwhichtheywalkedwascoveredwithrosepetals.

• Thequeen’saugustmannerandregalbearingcausedeveryoneintheroomtofallsilentthemomentsheentered.

AUSPICES(AWspuhsez) n protection;support;sponsorshipYouwillfindauspiceinthedictionary,butthiswordisalmostalwaysusedintheplural,anditisusuallyprecededbythewords“underthe.”

• The fund-raisingeventwasconductedunder theauspicesof the local volunteerorganization, whose members sold tickets, parked cars, and cleaned upafterward.

Theadjectiveauspicious (awSPISHus) is closely related toauspices, but themostcommon meanings of the two words have little in common. Auspicious meanspromising, favorable, or fortunate. Weddings and political conventions are oftenreferredtoasauspiciousoccasions.

• Thebrightcloudlessskywasanauspiciousstarttoafulldayofmountainhiking.• Harry andBobhoped to play golf thatmorning, but the dark clouds, gale-forcewinds,andsixinchesofsnowwereinauspicious.

AUXILIARY(awgZILyuhree) adj secondary;additional;givingassistanceoraid• WhenSam’scarbrokedown,hehadtoswitchtoanauxiliarypowersource;thatis,hehadtogetoutandpush.

• The spouses of the firefighters established an auxiliary organization whosepurposewastoraisemoneyforthefiredepartment.


AVAIL(uhVAYL) v tohelp;tobeofuse;toserve• Mypreparationdidnotavailmeon the test; theexaminationcoveredachapterotherthantheonethatIhadstudied.Icouldalsosaythatmypreparationavailedmenothing,or that itwasofnoavail. In thesecondexample, Iwouldbeusingavailasanoun.

Tobeavailingistobehelpfulorofuse.Tobeunavailingistobeunhelpfulorofnouse.• The rescue workers tried to revive the drowning victim, but their efforts wereunavailing,andthedoctorpronouncedhimdead.

AVANT-GARDE(ahvahntGAHRD) n thevanguard;membersofagroup,especiallyofaliteraryorartisticone,whoareatthecuttingedgeoftheirfield

• When his Off-off-off-off-Broadway play moved to Broadway, Harold was thrustagainsthiswillfromtheavant-gardetotheestablishment.

Thiswordcanalsobeanadjective.• The avant-garde literary magazine was filled with empty pages to convey thefutilityofliteraryexpression.

AVERSION(uhVURzhun) n astrongfeelingofdislike• Many children have a powerful aversion to vegetables. In fact, many of thembelievethatbroccoliispoisonous.

• I knew that it would be in my best financial interest to make friends with thegenerous,gulliblemillionaire,but Icouldnotovercomemy initialaversion tohishabitofsuckinghisthumbinpublic.

Tohaveanaversiontosomethingistobeaverse(uhVURS)toit.• Iamaversetotheideaoflettingchildrensitinfrontofthetelevisionlikezombiesfrommorningtonight.

Manypeopleconfuseaversewithadverse(ADvurs),buttheyarenotthesameword.Adversemeansunfavorable.Afield-hockeygameplayedonamuddyfield inpouringrain would be a field-hockey game played under adverse conditions. The noun isadversity.

AVERT(uhVURT) v toturnaway;toprevent• Devi averted her eyes and pretended not to see Doug slip on the ice so hewouldn’tbeembarrassed.

• Thecompanytemporarilyaverteddisasterbystealingseveralmilliondollarsfromtheemployees’pensionfund.

AVID(AVid) adj eager;enthusiastic• Eloiseisanavidbridgeplayer;shewouldratherplaybridgethaneat.

Tobeavidaboutplayingbridgeistoplaybridgewithavidity(uhVIDuhtee).


1. asylum a. refuge2. atone b. strongfeelingofdislike3. atrophy c. giveproofof4. attest d. turnaway5. attribute e. makeamends6. augur f. creditto7. august g. help8. auspices h. witheraway9. auxiliary i. inspiringawe10. avail j. vanguard11. avant-garde k. secondary12. aversion l. eager13. avert m. protection14. avid n. serveasanomen

BBACCHANAL(BAKuhnuL) n apartyanimal;adrunkenreveler;adrunkenrevelryororgyBacchus(BAKus)wastheGreekgodofwineandfertility.TobeabacchanalistoactlikeBacchus.PeopleoftenusebacchanalasawordforthesortofsocialgatheringthatBacchuswouldhaveenjoyed.

• Thefraternitywasshutdownbytheuniversityafterathree-daybacchanalthatleftadozenstudentsintheinfirmary.

Agoodwordforsuchapartywouldbebacchanalia(bakuhNAYleeuh).


BALEFUL(BAYLful) adj menacing;threateningAlmosteverytimeyouseethisword,itwillbefollowedbytheword“glance.”Abalefulglanceisalookthatcouldkill.Otherthingscanbebaleful,too.

• Thestudentsrespondedtotheprofessor’sfeeblejokebysittinginbalefulsilence.

BALK(bawk) v toabruptlyrefuse(todosomething);tostopshort• Susanhadsaidshewouldbehappy tohelpoutwith thecharityevent,butshebalkedattheideaofsittingonaflagpoleforamonth.

• Vernonbalkedwhentheinstructortoldhimtodoabelly-flopfromthehighdivingboard;hedidnotwanttodoit.

Inbaseball,abalkoccurswhenapitcherbeginsthepitchingmotion,buttheninterruptsittodosomethingelse,suchasattempttothrowoutarunnerleadingofffirstbase.Inbaseball,abalkisillegal.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword:Thelissilent.

BALLYHOO(BALeehoo) n sensationaladvertisingorpromotion;uproarThisisaninformalwordofunknownthoughdistinctlyAmericanorigin.

• Behindtheballyhoocreatedbythefifty-million-dollarpromotionalcampaign,therewasnothingbutacrummymoviethatnoonereallywantedtosee.

• The public relations director could think of no legitimate case to make for herclient,sosheresortedtoballyhoo.

• Thecandidate tried togivehisspeech,buthiswordscouldnotbeheardabovetheballyhooontheconventionfloor.

BALM(bawm) n somethingthathealsorsoothes• AfterTedhadsufferedthroughtheendlessconcertbytheNewYorkPhilharmonicOrchestra, the soundof theGunsN’Rosesalbumplayedat full volumeonhisWalkmanwasabalmtohisears.

Balmy (BAWmee) weather is mild, pleasant, wonderful weather. In slang usage, abalmypersonissomeonewhoiseccentricorfoolish.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthesewords:Thelissilent.

BANDY(BANdee) v totossbackandforth;toexchange• Isadorasatonthehillsideallday,eatingM&Msandwatchingthewindbandytheleavesonthetrees.

• Theenemiesbandied insults fora fewminutesand then jumpedoneachotherandbegantofight.

BANTER(BANtur) n anexchangeofgood-humoredormildlyteasingremarks• Thehandsomeyoung teacher fell intoeasybanterwithhis students,whowerenotmuchyoungerthanhe.

• Phoebe was interested in the news, but she hated the phony banter of thecorrespondents.

Bantercanalsobeaverb.Tobanterwithsomeoneistoconverseusingbanter.

BAROQUE(buhROHK) adj extravagantlyornate;flamboyantinstyleIn the study of art, architecture, andmusic,baroque, orBaroque, refers to a highlyexuberant and ornate style that flourished in Europe during the 17th and early 18thcenturies.Exceptwhenused in thishistorical sense, thewordnow isalmostalwayspejorative.

• Devin’s writing style was a littlebaroque formy taste; he used somany fancyadjectivesandadverbsthatitwashardtotellwhathewastryingtosay.

BARRAGE(buhRAHZH) n aconcentratedoutpouringofartilleryfire,orofanythingelse

• To keep the enemy soldiers from advancing up the mountain, the commanderdirectedasteadybarrageagainsttheslopejustabovethem.

• Rhoda’snewpaintings—whichconsistedofbaconfatdribbledonthebottomsofoldskillets—weremetbyabarrageofnegativereviews.

Barragecanalsobeaverb.• At the impromptu press conference, eager reporters barraged the Pentagonspokesmanwithquestions.

BAUBLE(BAWbul) n agaudytrinket;asmall,inexpensiveornament• Thechildrenthoughttheyhaddiscoveredburiedtreasure,buttheoldchestturnedouttocontainnothingbutcheapcostumejewelryandotherbaubles.

• SallytriedtobuyHarry’saffectionbyshoweringhimwithbaubles,butHarryheldoutfordiamonds.


1. bacchanal a. extravagantlyornate2. baleful b. menacing3. balk c. tossbackandforth4. ballyhoo d. sensationaladvertising5. balm e. outpouringofartilleryfire6. bandy f. exchangeofteasingremarks7. banter g. partyanimal8. baroque h. gaudytrinket9. barrage i. abruptlyrefuse10. bauble j. somethingthatheals

BEDLAM (BED lum) n noisy uproar and chaos; a place characterized by noisyuproarandchaosIn medieval London, there was a lunatic asylum called St. Mary of Bethlehem,popularlyknownasBedlam. Ifa teachersays that there isbedlam inherclassroom,shemeansthatherstudentsareactinglikelunatics.

• AfewsecondsafterEnronannouncedthatitwasgoingoutofbusiness,therewasbedlamontheflooroftheNewYorkStockExchange.

BEGRUDGE(biGRUJ) v toenvyanother’spossessionorenjoymentofsomething;tobereluctanttogive,ortogivegrudgingly

• Thefamousauthorbegrudgedhisdaughterhersuccessasawriter;hecouldn’tbelievethatshemadethebest-seller’slist.

BEHEST(biHEST) n command;order• Thepresidentwasimpeachedafterthepaneldiscoveredthattheillegalactshadbeencommittedathisbehest.

• Atmybehest,mysoncleaneduphisroom.

BEMOAN(biMOHN) v tomournabout;tolament• WestbemoanedtheDhehadreceivedonhischemistryexam,buthedidn’tstudyanyharderforfuturetests.

• Ratherthanbemoaningthecrueltyandinjusticeoftheirfate,thehostagesquietlydugatunnelundertheprisonwallandescaped.

BENEDICTION(benuhDIKshun) n ablessing;anutteranceofgoodwishesIn certain church services, a benediction is a particular kind of blessing. In secularusage,thewordhasamoregeneralmeaning.

• JackandJillweremarriedwithouttheirparents’benediction;infact,theirparentshadnoideathatJackandJillhadmarried.

Theoppositeofbenediction ismalediction (maluhDIKshun),whichmeanscurseorslander.

• Despitethenear-universalmaledictionofthecritics,thesequeltoGonewiththeWindbecameahugebestseller.

BENIGHTED(biNYTEud) adj ignorant;unenlightenedTobebenightedistobeintellectuallyinthedark—tobelostinintellectualnighttime.

• Not one ofMr. Emerson’sbenighted students could saywith certainty inwhichcenturytheSecondWorldWarhadoccurred.

BESTOW(biSTOH) v topresentasagift;toconferThiswordisusuallyusedwith“on”or“upon.”

• MaryAgneshadbestoweduponallherchildrenapowerfulhatredforvegetablesofanykind.

• LifehadbestowedmuchgoodfortuneonLester;inhismind,however,thatdidnotmakeupforthefactthathehadneverwonmorethanafewdollarsinthelottery.

BILIOUS(BILyus) adj ill-tempered;crankyBiliousisderivedfrombile,agreenish-yellowliquidexcretedbytheliver.IntheMiddleAges,bilewasoneofseveral“humors”thatwerethoughttogovernhumanemotion.Inthose days, anger and crankiness were held to be the result of an excess of bile.Bilioustodaycanbeusedinaspecificmedicalsensetorefertoexcretionsoftheliveror to particular medical conditions involving those same secretions, but it is usuallyused in a figurative sense that dates back tomedieval beliefs about humors. To bebiliousistobeinagrumpy,angrymood.

• Thenewdean’sbilious remarksaboutmembersof the facultyquicklymadeheroneoftheleastpopularfiguresoncampus.

• Thespeakerwastakenabackbythebiliousnessoftheaudience;everyquestionfromthefloorhadhadanastytone,andnoneofhisjokeshadgottenanylaughs.

• Norbert’s wardrobe was distinctly bilious; almost every garment he owned waseitheryelloworgreen.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword:twosyllables.

BIVOUAC(BIVwak) n atemporaryencampment,especiallyofsoldiers.• Thetentsandcampfiresofthesoldiers’bivouaccouldbeseenfromthetopofanearbymountain,andtheenemycommanderlaunchedadevastatingbarrage.

Bivouaccanalsobeaverb,anditcanbeusedtorefertopeopleotherthansoldiers.• Prevented by darkness from returning to their base camp, the climbers wereforcedtobivouachalfwayupthesheerrockwall.


BLANCH(blanch) v toturnpale;tocausetoturnpale• MargaretblanchedwhenJacobtoldhertheirvacationhousewashaunted.• Thehot,drysummerhadlefttheleavesonthetreeslookingblanchedanddry.


1. bedlam a. blessing2. begrudge b. command3. behest c. noisyuproar4. bemoan d. ignorant5. benediction e. presentasagift6. benighted f. envy7. bestow g. ill-tempered8. bilious h. turnpale9. bivouac i. temporaryencampment10. blanch j. mournabout

BLAND(bland) adj mild;tasteless;dull;unlively• George ate onlybland foods because he believed that anythingwith toomuchflavorinitwouldmakehimtenseandexcitable.

• After the censors had finishedwith it, the formerlyX-ratedmoviewas sobland

andunexcitingthatnoonewenttoseeit.• Harriet’snewboyfriendwasbland in theextreme,but thatwasprobablyagoodthingsinceherpreviousonewasacircusperformer.

BLANDISHMENT(BLANDishmunt) n flatteryThiswordisoftenplural.

• Angelawas impervious to theblandishments of her employees; nomatter howmuchtheyflatteredher,sherefusedtogivethemraises.

BLISS(blis) n perfectcontentment;extremejoy• After spending his vacation in a crowded hotel with throngs of noisyconventioneers,Peterfoundthatreturningtoworkwasbliss.

• PaulandMarynaivelyexpectedthateverymomentoftheirmarriedlifewouldbebliss; rapidly, however, theydiscovered that theywerenodifferent fromanyoneelse.

Anythingthatpromotesfeelingsofblisscanbesaid tobeblissful.Ablissful vacationwouldbeonethatmadeyoufeelserenelyandsupremelycontent.

BLUSTER(BLUStur) v toroar;tobeloud;tobetumultuous• The cold winter wind blustered all day long, rattling the windows and chillingeveryonetothebone.

Adayduringwhichthewindblusterswouldbeablustery(BLUSturee)day.• Thegolfershappilyblamedalltheirbadshotsontheblusteryweather.

Blustercanalsobeanoun.• Sadiewassousedtohermother’sangryshoutingthatshewasabletotuneouttheblusterandgetalongwithherwork.

BOMBAST(BAHMbast) n pompousorpretentiousspeechorwriting• Ifyoustrippedawaythebombast fromthecandidate’scampaignspeeches,youwouldfindnothingbutmisconceptionsandlies.

• Themagazine writer resorted to bombast whenever his deadline was looming;thoughtful opinions required timeand reflection, but he couldbecomepompousalmostasrapidlyashecouldtype.

Theadjectiveisbombastic(bahmBAStik).

BONVIVANT(BONveeVAHN) n apersonwhoenjoysgoodfood,gooddrink,andluxuriouslivingThisisaFrenchexpression.

• Jacquesplayed thebonvivantwhenhewaswith his friends, butwhenhewas

alonehewasadrudgeandaworkaholic.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisforeignexpression.

BONAFIDE (BOHnuhFYDE) adj sincere; doneormade ingood faith; authentic;genuine

• Thesignatureonthepaintingappearedtobebonafide; it reallydidseemtobeVanGogh’s.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisforeignexpression.

BOON(boon) n ablessing;abenefit• Construction of the nuclear-waste incinerator was a boon for the impoverishedtown; the fees the town earned enabled it to repair its schools and rebuild itsroads.

• ThecompanycarthatcamewithSam’snewjobturnedoutnottobetheboon ithad first appeared to be; Sam quickly realized that he was expected to spendalmostallhistimeinit,drivingfromoneappointmenttoanother.

BOOR(boor) n arudeorchurlishpersonAboorisnotnecessarilyabore.Don’tconfusethesetwowords.

• The boor at the next table kept climbing up on his chair and shouting at thewaitress.

Tobeabooristobeboorish(BOORish).• “Don’tbeboorish,”SueadmonishedCharlesatthepromafterhehadinsultedthechaperoneandeatenhisdinnerwithhisfingers.

BOOTY (BOO tee) n goods taken from an enemy in war; plunder; stolen orconfiscatedgoods

• The principal’s desk was filled with booty, including squirt guns, chewing gum,slingshots,andcandy.

• The gear of the returning soldiers was so loaded down with booty that thecommandingofficerhadtoissueweightrestrictions.


1. bland a. pompousspeech2. blandishment b. onewholivesluxuriously3. bliss c. mild4. bluster d. plunder5. bombast e. flattery6. bonvivant f. rudeperson7. bonafide g. perfectcontentment8. boon h. sincere9. boor i. roar10. booty j. blessing

BOTCH(bahch) v tobungle;toruinthroughpoororclumsyeffort• MelvinbotchedhisscienceprojectbypouringCoca-Colaintohisantfarm.• Thecarpenterhadbotchedhisrepairofouroldporch,andthewholethingcamecrashingdownwhenAuntSylviasteppedonit.

BRACING(BRAYsing) adj invigorating• Beforebreakfasteverymorning,LuluenjoyedabracingswimintheArcticOcean.• Andrewfoundtheintellectualvigorofhisstudentstobepositivelybracing.• Abracingwindwasblowingacross thebay,causingSally’ssailboat tomovesoswiftlythatshehaddifficultycontrollingit.

BRANDISH(BRANdish) v towaveordisplaythreateningly• Brandishingaknife,therobbertoldthefrightenedstorekeepertohandoverallthemoneyinthecashregister.

• I returnedto thegaragebrandishinga flyswatter,but theswarming insectswereundeterred,andtheycontinuedtogoabouttheirbusiness.

BRAVADO (bruh VAH doh) n a false show or ostentatious show of bravery ordefiance

• Thecommander’sspeechwastheproductnotofbraverybutofbravado;assoonasthesoldierslefttheroom,hecollapsedintears.

• Withalmostunbelievablebravado,thedefendantstoodbeforethejudgeandtoldherthathehadnoideahowhisfingerprintshadgottenonthemurderweapon.

BRAWN(brawn) n bigmuscles;greatstrength• All the other boys in the class thought it extremely unfair that Sean had bothbrainsandbrawn.

• Theoldhorsedidn’thavethebrawntopullthecartupthesideofthesteephill.

Tobebrawny(BRAWnee)istobemuscular.• Themembers of the football team were so brawny that each one needed twoseatsontheairplaneinordertositcomfortably.

BRAZEN(BRAYzun) adj impudent;boldBrazen comes fromawordmeaningbrass.Tobebrazen is tobeasbold as brass.(Brazencanalsobeusedtorefertothingsthatreallyaremadeofbrass,orthathavecharacteristicssimilartothoseofbrass.Forexample,thesoundofatrumpetmightbesaidtobebrazen.)

• The students’ brazen response to their teacher’s request was to stand up andwalkoutoftheclassroom.

• Theinfantrymadeabrazenchargeintotheheartoftheenemyposition.

BREACH(breech) n aviolation;agaporbreakBreachiscloselyrelatedtobreak,awordwithwhichitsharesmuchmeaning.

• Most of the senators weren’t particularly bothered by the fact that one of theircolleagues had been taking bribes, but they viewed his getting caught as anindefensiblebreachofacceptablebehavior.

• At first, thewater trickledslowly through thebreach in thedam,but itgraduallygatheredforce,andsoonboththedamandthetownbelowithadbeenwashedaway.

BRINK(bringk) n edge• Themotherbecameverynervouswhenshesawher toddlerdancingalong thebrinkofthecliff.

• Thesputteringenginesenttheairlineronasteepdownwardcoursethatbroughtittothebrinkofdisaster;thenthepilotwokeupandpulledbackonthethrottle.

Brinkmanship(oftenalsobrinksmanship)isapoliticaltermdescribinganeffortbyonecountry or official to gain an advantage over another by appearingwilling to push adangeroussituationtothebrink,suchasbyresortingtonuclearweapons.Toengageinbrinkmanship is toappearwilling to risk thedestructionof theworld rather than toloseaparticularconflict.

BRISTLE(BRISul) v tostiffenwithanger; toact inawaysuggestiveofananimalwhosehairisstandingonend;toappearinsomewaysimilartohairstandingonendBristlesareshort,stiffhairs.Abristlebrushisabrushmadeoutofshort,stiffhairsfromthebacksofpigsorotheranimals.Whenapigbristles,itmakestheshort,stiffhairsonitsbackstandup.Whenapersonbristles,heorsheactsinawaythatisreminiscentofabristlingpig.

• Arnieisthesensitivetype;hebristledwhenItoldhimhisstorytellingwasmerelyokay.

• Thelightningboltwassocloseitmademyhairbristle.• Thecapturedvesselbristledwithantennae,stronglysuggestingthatitwasaspyship, as the government contended, and not a fishing boat, as the governmentcontinuedtoclaim.

BROMIDE(BROHmyde) n adull,obvious,overfamiliarsaying;aclichéBromide also refers to certain compounds containing the element bromine (BROHmeen). Potassium bromide is a substance that was once used as a sedative. Abromide is a statement that is so boring and obvious that it threatens to sedate thelistener.

• Mr. Patel seemed to speak exclusively in bromides. When you hand him hischange,hesays,“Apennysavedisapennyearned.”Whenheasksforhelp,hesays,“Manyhandsmakelightwork.”

BROUHAHA(BROOhahhah) n uproar;hubbub• Thebrouhahaarisingfromthepartydownstairskeptthechildrenawakeforhours.

BRUSQUE(brusk) adj abruptinmanner;blunt• Thecritic’sreviewofthenewplaywasshortandbrusque;hewrote,“Itstinks.”• Samanthafeltthatthewaiterhadbeenbrusquewhenhetoldhertoputonshoesbeforeenteringtherestaurant,soshespoketothemanagerandhadthewaiterfired.

BUFFOON(buhFOON) n ajoker,especiallyonewhoiscoarseoractslikeaclown• Maria seems to go out only with buffoons; her last boyfriend entertained us atThanksgivingbystandingonthetableandrecitingdirtylimericks.

• Orville put on women’s clothing and pretended to be Pippi Longstocking; hefiguredthatsomeoneattheweddingreceptionhadtoplaythebuffoonandthathemightaswellbetheone.

BULWARK(BULwurk) n awallusedasadefensivefortification;anythingusedasthemaindefenseagainstanythingelse

• Theciviliansusedbulldozerstocreateanearthenbulwarkaroundtheirtown,buttheattackingsoldiersusedlargerbulldozerstodestroyit.

• AsabulwarkagainstBilly,Iturnedoffmyphone,buthefoiledmebycomingovertomyhouseandtalkingtomeinperson.

• TheBillofRightsisthebulwarkofAmericanliberty.Thebulwarks of a shipare thepartsof the ship’s sides that extendabove themaindeck.

BYZANTINE(BIZunteen) adj extremelyintricateorcomplicatedinstructure;having

todowiththeByzantineEmpireTheByzantineEmpireconsistedof remnantsof theRomanEmpireborderingon theMediterraneanSea,and it lasted fromroughly themiddleof the5thcenturyuntil themiddleofthe15thcentury.ItsprincipalcitywasConstantinople,whichisnowIstanbul,Turkey.Byzantinearchitecturewas(andis)characterizedbydomes,spires,minarets,roundarches,andelaboratemosaics.Whenusedinthisprecisehistoricalsense,thewordisalwayscapitalized;whenusedinitsfigurativemeaning,itoftenisnot.

• Angela couldn’t follow the book’s byzantine plot, so she read the first and lastchaptersandtriedtoguesswhathappenedinthemiddleparts.

• Theemperor’sbodyguardsuncoveredabyzantinescheme inwhichhisministerofdefensehadplannedtokillhimbyinfusinghiscolognewithpoison.

Thisword ispronouncedandmispronounced inmanyways.Ourpronunciation is thepreferredone.


1. botch a. ostentatiousshowofbravery2. bracing b. stiffenwithanger3. brandish c. invigorating4. bravado d. defensivefortification5. brawn e. extremelyintricateinstructure6. brazen f. bungle7. breach g. dullsaying8. brink h. joker9. bristle i. displaythreateningly10. bromide j. violation11. brouhaha k. abruptinmanner12. brusque l. edge13. buffoon m. impudent14. bulwark n. uproar15. byzantine o. bigmuscles

CCABAL(kuhBAL) n agroupofconspirators;theactsofsuchagroup;aclique

• Thedespisednewdictatorhadbeenapartofthecabalthatforyearshadplottedtheoverthrowofthekindlyoldking.

• The high-level cabal against the company’s president accelerated rapidly andresultedinherouster.

• Winifredwantedtobepopularandgotopartiesonweekends,butshewasneverable to penetrate thecabal that controlled the limited supply of fun at her highschool.


CACHE(kash) n ahidingplace;thethingshiddeninasecretplaceThiswordcomesfromaFrenchwordmeaningtohide.

• The taxi driver kept his cash in acache behind hisCDplayer.Unfortunately, arobberwhohadmerelyintendedtostealtheCDplayerdiscoveredthecacheandalsostolethecash.

• Thebanditshadacacheofweaponsneartheirhideoutinthemountains.

CALAMITY(kuhLAMuhtee) n adisaster• TroublealwaysseemedtofollowMarthaJaneCanary.That’swhyshewasknownasCalamityJane.

• Duringthefirstfewmonthswelivedinourhouse,wesufferedonecalamityafteranother:Firstthefurnaceexploded;thenthewashingmachinestoppedworking;thentheroofbegantoleak.

• Misfortunequicklyturnedintocalamitywhentheburningcarsetoffthehydrogenbomb.

CALLOUS(KALus) adj insensitive;emotionallyhardened• Thecallous biology teacher gave a B to the whining student, even though hesworethatsuchalowgradewouldkeephimoutofmedicalschool.

• Living in Arizona for ten years has made Sally so callous that she isn’t evenmovedbythemostbeautifulsunsetovertheGrandCanyon.

A callus (KAL us) is a patch of thickened or roughened skin. A callous person issomeonewhohasametaphoricalcalluscoveringhisorheremotions.

CALUMNY(KALumnee) n slander;amaliciouslyfalsestatement

• Thecandidateresortedtocalumnywheneverhecouldn’tthinkofanythingmerelymeantosayabouthisopponent.

• WhenMr.McCoycouldnolongerwithstandthecalumniesofhisaccusers,hetoldthemthetruth:Thethiefwasactuallyhisbrother.

Touttercalumniesaboutsomeoneistocalumniate(kuhLUMneeayt)thatperson.• Thenewspapereditorialwriterhadalreadycalumniatedeveryoneintown,sohestartedagainfromthetopofthelist.


CANON(KANun) n aruleorlaw,especiallyareligiousone;abodyofrulesorlaws;anofficialsetofholybooks;anauthoritativelist;thesetofworksbyanauthorthatareacceptedasauthentic

• Timothy tried to live in accordance with the canons of fairness, honesty, andresponsibilitythathisparentslaiddownfortheirchildren.

• BrigadoonispartofShakespeare’scanon.Canon also has some specific meanings and usages within the Roman Catholicchurch.

CANT(kant) n insincereorhypocriticalspeech• Thepoliticalcandidateresortedtocantwheneverhewasaskedaboutanyofthesubstantialissuesofthecampaign.

CANVASS(KANvus) v toseekvotesoropinions;toconductasurveyThis isnot thesamewordascanvas, theroughcottoncloththatcircustents,amongotherthings,usedtobemadeof.

• In the last fewdaysbefore theelection, the campaignvolunteers spreadout tocanvassinkeydistricts.

• Thepollingorganizationcanvassed consumers to find outwhich brandof draincleanermadethemfeelmostoptimisticabouttheglobaleconomy.

Canvasscanalsobeanoun.Acanvassisanactofcanvassing.• After an exhaustive canvass of consumers, the polling organization discoveredthatSludge-Xmadeconsumersfeelmostoptimisticabouttheglobaleconomy.


CAPACIOUS(kuhPAYshus) adj spacious;roomy;commodiousSomethingthatiscapacioushasalargecapacity.

• Hollyhadacapaciousmouthintowhichshepouredthecontentsofafamily-sizedboxofMilkDuds.

• TheStones’housewascapaciousbutnotparticularlygracious;itfeltandlookedliketheinsideofabarn.

• Arnold’smemoryforinsultswascapacious;hecouldremembereverynastythingthatanyonehadeversaidabouthim.

CAPITAL (KAP ut ul) n the town or city that is the seat of government; money,equipment,andpropertyownedbyabusiness;wealthusedincreatingmorewealth

• Austin is the official capital of Texas; it is also the self-proclaimed live musiccapitaloftheworld.

• Ivan inherited his family’s business, but then, through foolish management,exhausteditscapitalanddroveitintobankruptcy.

• Orsonwantedtobuyaprofessionalfootballteam,buthewasunabletocomeupwiththenecessarycapital;infact,hewasabletoraiseonly$400.

• TheSternsdidn’thavemuchmoney,sotheyinvestedhumancapital;theybuiltitthemselves.

Don’tconfusethiswordwithcapitol,whichisthebuildinglegislaturesmeetin.

CAPTIVATE(KAPtuhvayt) v tofascinate;toenchant;toenrapture• Themagiciancaptivated thechildrenbymaking theirparentsdisappear inabigballofbluesmoke.

• Frankwasn’tcaptivatingwhenMelindacametocallonhim;hewaswearingNinjaTurtlepajamas,andhehadn’tbrushedhisteeth.

CARCINOGENIC(kahrsinuhJENik) adj causingcancer• Thetobaccoindustryhaslongdeniedthatcigarettesmokeiscarcinogenic.

Anagentthatcausescancerisacarcinogen(kahrSINuhjun).• Thewater flowingoutof thechemical factory’swastepipewasblack,bubbling,andundoubtedlyloadedwithcarcinogens.


1. cabal a. slander2. cache b. ruleorlaw3. calamity c. hidingplace4. callous d. seekvotesoropinions

5. calumny e. seatofgovernment6. canon f. hypocriticalspeech7. cant g. roomy8. canvass h. groupofconspirators9. capacious i. insensitive10. capital j. disaster

CARDINAL(KAHRDnul) adj mostimportant;chief• Thecardinalruleatourschoolissimple:nochewingguminthebuilding.• The“cardinalvirtues”aresaidtobefortitude,justice,prudence,andtemperance.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword:twosyllables.

CAREEN (kuhREEN) v toswerve; tomove rapidlywithout control; to lean tooneside

• Thedrunkdriver’sautomobilebouncedoffseverallamppostsasitcareenedalongthe waterfront, eventually running off the end of the pier and plunging into theharbor.

• Theshipcareenedheavilyinthestorm,causingallofthecargoinitsholdtoshifttooneside.

CARTOGRAPHY(kahrTAHGruhfee) n theartofmakingmapsandcharts• TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofStateemploysalargecartographydepartmentbecause the boundaries of the world’s countries are constantly changing andmapsmustconstantlybeupdatedandredrawn.

Apersonwhomakesmapsorchartsiscalledacartographer(kahrTAHGruhfur).

CASCADE(kasKAYD) n awaterfall;anythingresemblingawaterfall• Water fromtheburstmaincreatedacascade that flowedover theembankmentandintoourlivingroom.

• Whentheyoungstarofthemoviestubbedhistoewhileputtingonhisostrich-skincowboyboots,hisfansrespondedwithacascadeofget-wellcards.

Cascadecanalsobeaverb.• SilverdollarscascadedfromtheslotmachinewhenChristinesaidthemagicwordthatshehadlearnedinWordSmart.

CATACLYSM(KATuhklizum) n aviolentupheaval;anearthquake;ahorribleflood• Thegovernment’sattemptsateconomicreforminitiatedacataclysmthat leftthe

country’sstructureinruins.• The earthquake’s epicenter was in midtown Manhattan, but the effects of thecataclysmcouldbefeltasfarawayasChicago.

• Suddenly, the sky opened, and the clouds unleashed a cataclysm that nearlywashedawaythetown.

Theadjectiveformofthiswordiscataclysmic(kataKLIZmik).• EarlyonTuesdaymorning,fanswerestillcelebratingtheteam’scataclysmic105–7defeatoftheTigers.

CAUCUS (KAW kus) n a meeting of the members of a political party or politicalfaction;apoliticalgroupwhosemembershavecommoninterestsorgoals

• Insomestates,delegatestopoliticalconventionsareelected;inotherstates,theyareselectedincaucuses.

• Thewomeninthestatelegislaturejoinedtogetherinaninformalcaucusinordertoincreasetheirinfluenceonequalpayissues.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.Tocaucusistoholdacaucus.• Themembersofthecaucuscaucusedforseveraldaysinthehopeofagreeingonanewmethodforselectingnewmembersofthecaucus.Theycouldn’tagree,sotheydisbanded.

CAVALIER(kavuhLIR) adj arrogant;haughty;carefree;casual• Thevainactorwassocavalier thatheeitherdidn’tnoticeordidn’tcare thathehadbrokenLoretta’sheart.

• Mrs.Perkinsfeltthatherdaughterandson-in-lawweresomewhatcavalierabouttheirhousework;sheobjected, forexample, to thefact that theyseldomdidanylaundry, preferring to root around in the laundry hamper for something cleanenoughtowearagain.

CAVIL(KAVul) v toquibble;toraisetrivialobjections• Writingtheorganization’snewby-lawswouldhavebeenmuchsimplerifithadn’tbeenthechairman’shabittocavilabouteverypointraised.

• The lawyer believed that hewas raising important objections, but the judge feltthathewasmerelycaviling,andshetoldhimtokeepquiet.

Cavilcanalsobeanoun.• Thecriticraisedafewcavilsabouttheauthor’swritingstyle,butonthewholethereviewwasfavorable.

CHAFF(chaf) n worthlessstuffInagriculturalusage,chaffisthehuskleftoveraftergrainhasbeenthreshed.Outsideof awheat farm,chaff is anyworthless stuff, especially anyworthless stuff left over

aftervaluablestuffhasbeenseparatedoutorremoved.• Any car in which young children regularly ride gradually fills up with crumbs,Cheerios,gumwrappers,bitsofpaper,andotherchaff.

• ThemountainofcrumpledpaperonwhichHarrylaysnoringwasthechaffhehadproducedinhisefforttowriteatermpaper.


1. captivate a. violentupheaval2. carcinogenic b. swerve3. cardinal c. politicalmeeting4. careen d. waterfall5. cartography e. fascinate6. cascade f. quibble7. cataclysm g. mostimportant8. caucus h. artofmakingmaps9. cavalier i. arrogant10. cavil j. causingcancer

CHAMELEON(kuhMEELyun) n ahighlychangeablepersonIn the reptile world, a chameleon is a lizard that can change its color to match itssurroundings. In thehumanworld,achameleon isapersonwhochangeshisorheropinionsoremotionstoreflectthoseofthepeoplearoundhimorher.

• Ritawasasocialchameleon;whenshewaswithherswimming-teamfriends,shemade fun of the students on the yearbook staff, and when she was with heryearbookfriends,shemadefunofthestudentsontheswimmingteam.

CHAMPION(CHAMpeeun) v todefend;tosupport• During his campaign, the governor had championed a lot of causes that hepromptlyforgotaboutoncehewaselected.

CHANNEL(CHANul) v todirect;tocausetofollowacertainpath• When thedeanaskedEddie toexplainhowhehadmanaged toearn threeDsandaCminusduring theprevioussemester,Eddiesaid, “Well, youknowwhatcanhappenwhenyouchannelallyoureffortsintoonecourse.”

• Young people arrested for painting graffiti on subway cars were placed in a

rehabilitationprogramthatattemptedtochanneltheirartisticabilitiesintosociallyacceptablepursuits,suchaspaintingtheinteriorsofsubway-stationbathrooms.

CHASTE(chayst) adj pureandunadorned;abstainingfromsex• Thenovel’sauthorhadachastebutpowerfulwritingstyle;heusedfewadjectivesandevenfewerbigwords,buthenonethelesssucceededincreatingavividandstirringportraitofafascinatingworld.

• FelixenjoyedCinderella,buthefoundthemovieabitchasteforhisliking.Tobechasteistobeinastateofchastity(CHAStuhtee).

• Rickchosetolivealifeofchastitybybecomingamonk.

CHERUB(CHERub) n acutechubby-cheekedchild;akindofangel• Thebank robberhad the faceofacherub and thearrest recordofahardenedcriminal.

Tolookoractlikeacherubistobecherubic(chuhROObik).

Religiouslyspeaking,acherub isanangelofthesortyouseedepictedonvalentinesandChristmascards:asmall child,withwingsandnoclothes. Incarefulusage, thecorrectpluralischerubim(CHERoobim),butmostpeoplejustsaycherubs.


CHORTLE(CHAWRtul) v tochucklewithgleeAchortle is a crossbetweena chuckle anda snort. Thewordwas coinedbyLewisCarrollinThroughtheLookingGlass.

• The toddler chortled as he arranged his gleaming Christmas presents on theliving-roomcouch.

• Thechildrenweresupposedtobeasleep,butIcouldtell thattheywerereadingtheirnewjokebookbecauseIcouldhearthemchortlingthroughthedoor.

Chortlecanalsobeanoun.• ProfessorSmithmeanthislecturetobeserious,buttheclassrespondedonlywithchortles.

CHURL(churl) n arudeperson;aboor• Too much wine made Rex act like a churl; he thumped his forefinger on thewaiter’schestanddemandedtospeaktothemanager.

Tobeachurlistobechurlish.Thestateofbeingchurlishisknownaschurlishness.• Rex’schurlishbehaviortowardthewaitermadehimunwelcomeattherestaurant.• EveryonewasappalledbyRex’schurlishness.

CHUTZPAH(HUTspuh) n brazenness;audacityThisslangwordcomesfromYiddish.

• Thebankmanagerhadsomuchchutzpahthatduringarecentrobbery,heaskedthestick-upmentosignareceiptforthemoneytheyweretaking.Andtheydidit!


CIPHER(SYEfer) n zero;anobody;acode;thesolutiontoacode• ThebigredcipheratthetopofhispapertoldHaroldthathehadn’tdoneagoodjobonhisalgebraexam.

• Michael was a cipher; after he had transferred to a new school, no one couldrememberwhathelookedlike.

• Heatherlovedcodes,andshequicklyfiguredoutthesimplecipherthattheoldergirlshadusedtowriteoneanothersecretmessagesaboutboys.

Todecipher(diSYEfer)acodedmessageistodecodeit.Toencipher(enSYEfer)amessageistoputitintocode.

• Boris’s emotionswerehard todecipher; the expression onhis facenever gaveoneaclueastowhathewasfeelingorthinking.

CIRCUMNAVIGATE(surkumNAVuhgayt) v tosailortravelallthewayaround• Magellan’screwwasthefirsttocircumnavigatetheglobe.• Circumnavigatingtheirblocktookthelittleboysmostofthemorningbecausetheystoppedinnearlyeveryyardtoplaywiththeirnewactionfigures.

Thewordcanalsobeusedfiguratively.• Jeffersonskillfullycircumnavigated thesubjectofhis retirement; inhishour-longspeech,hetalkedabouteverythingbutit.

CITADEL(SITuhdul) n afortressdefendingacity;astronghold;abulwark• Fromthecitadelontopofthehill,theking’ssoldierscouldfiredownonthetroopsattackingthecity.

• Thepresidentviewedtheuniversityasacitadeloflearning,asafortressagainsttheforcesofignorance.


1. chaff a. worthlessstuff

2. chameleon b. highlychangeableperson3. champion c. chucklewithglee4. channel d. pureandunadorned5. chaste e. zero6. cherub f. cutechild7. chortle g. direct8. churl h. brazenness9. chutzpah i. defend10. cipher j. rudeperson

CLANDESTINE (klan DES tin) adj concealed or secret, usually for an evil orsubversivepurpose

• Themeetings held by the terrorists were not as clandestine as they imagined;theirmeetingroomhadbeenbuggedbytheCIA.

• Unable topersuadeCongress toback thecause, theWhiteHouseconductedaclandestinefund-raisingcampaigntoraisemoneyfortherevolutionaryfaction.


CLASSIC (KLAS ik) adj top-notch;of thehighestquality; servingasastandard ormodel

• Thebaseballgamewasaclassiccontest; itwasoneof thefinestgamesIhaveeverseen.

• LittleRudolph is aclassic example ofwhat happenswhen parents give a childanythinghewants;heisawhining,wheedling,annoyinglittlebrat.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.• TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnisanAmericanclassic;manyreadersviewitastheGreatAmericanNovel.

The adjective classical is closely related but usually distinct in meaning. Classicalliterature is the literatureof ancientGreeceandRome.AncientGreekandLatin areclassicallanguages.ClassicalhistoryisthehistoryofancientGreeceandRome.TheneoclassicalperiodinAmericanarchitecturewasaperiodinwhichAmericanbuilderswere heavily influenced by the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. (TheParthenon isaclassicexampleofclassicalarchitecture.) Inmusic,classical refers toEuropeanmusic of the second half of the 18th century. Mozart is an example of aclassicalcomposer.When people in an academic setting refer to “the classics,” they are almost alwaysreferringtotheliteratureandlanguagesofancientGreeceandRome.Aclassicsmajor

isastudentwhoconcentratesinthatliteratureandthoselanguages.

CLEAVE(kleev) v tocling;tosplitThisfascinatingwordcanbeitsownopposite.Whenonethingcleavestoanother,theystick together closely. But when you split them apart, you can also be said to becleavingthem(aswithacleaver).

• Whenachild is frightened, itcleaves to itsparent,andnoone isable tocleavethem.

• The streamlined front of the automobile is designed to cleave the air, reducingwindresistance.

• Theexplorershadpowerfulmachetes,butthejunglewassodensethattheywereunabletocleaveapaththroughit.

Somethingthathasbeensplitiscleft(kleft).

CLIMATIC(klyMATik) adj havingtodowiththeclimate• The buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere appears to be causingpronouncedclimaticchangesallovertheworld.

Donotconfusethiswordwithclimactic(klyMAKtik),whichmeanscomingtoorhavingtodowithaclimax.

CLOISTER(KLOYstur) n acoveredwalk,withcolumnsononeside,thatrunsalongthe perimeter of a courtyard, especially in a convent or monastery; a convent ormonastery;atranquil,secludedplaceInitsfirsttwomeanings,thiswordisofinterestprimarilytopeoplewhoareinterestedin convents and monasteries. More generally the word is used in connection withplacesthatsuggestthetranquilseclusionofaconventormonastery.

• Virginiaviewedherofficeasacloistertowhichshecouldwithdrawfromthechaosoftheproductionline.

• ThelittleclearinginthewoodswasBilly’scloister;hewenttheretomeditateandrechargehismentalbatteries.

Tocloistersomeoneorsomethingistoputhim,her,oritinseclusion.• After his hecticweek,Davidcloistered himself on the golf course for the entirethree-dayweekend.

Tobecloister-likeistobecloistral(KLOYstrul).

CLONE(klohn) n anexactduplicate;anorganismgeneticallyidenticaltoanother• Thenewstorewasacloneoftheoldone;eventhesalesclerkslookedthesame.• Margaret’sdaughterEloiselookedsomuchlikeherthatEloiseseemedlesslikeherchildthanlikeherclone.

• Identicaltwinsareclones.Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.Toclonesomethingistomakeanexactduplicateofit.

• Isaacspenthislifetryingtofindawaytoclonehimself,becausehebelievedthattheworldwouldbeabetter,moreinterestingplaceifitwerefilledwithIsaacs.

CLOUT(klowt) n ablow;influence• WhenWinnona kept jumpinghigher andhigher on thebeddespite her father’swarnings,hercollisionwiththeceilinggaveheracloutontheheadthatmadeherseestars.

• Jimhasalotofcloutatthebank,perhapsbecausehisfatheristhepresident.

CLOY(kloy) v tocausetofeeltoofull,especiallywhenindulginginsomethingoverlysweet;tobecomewearisomethroughexcess

• Afterafewbites,thedeliciousdessertbegantocloy,andLeothoughtthathewasgoingtobesick.

• The new perfume was cloying; it smelled good at first, but soon the fragrancebegantoseemalmostsuffocating.

CODDLE(KAHDul) v tobaby• OldMrs.Smythehaddozensofcats,andshecoddledthemallby feedingthemfreshcream,liver,andchocolatepudding.

• Mr.Katzcoddled his newemployeesbecausehedidn’twant them to quit as agrouponthedaybeforeChristmas,ashispreviousemployeeshaddone.


1. circumnavigate a. havingtodowiththeclimate2. citadel b. blow3. clandestine c. cling4. classic d. sailallthewayaround5. cleave e. coveredwalk6. climatic f. secret7. cloister g. fortressdefendingacity8. clone h. exactduplicate9. clout i. top-notch10. cloy j. causetofeeltoofull

COGITATE(KAHJuhtayt) v toponder;tomeditate;tothinkcarefullyabout• Whentheprofessorhadaparticularlydifficultproblemtosolve,hewouldclimbatreewithabagofjellybeansandcogitateuntilhehadasolution.

• Jerry claimed thathewascogitating, butmost people I knowdon’t snorewhentheycogitate.

Anactofcogitatingiscalledcogitation(kahjuhTAYshun).• Cogitation was apparently painful to Rebecca; whenever she thought carefullyabout something, her eyes squinted, her hands shook, and she broke into asweat.

COHORT(KOHhawrt) n agroupInancientRome,acohortwasamilitarydivisionofseveralhundredsoldiers.Incarefulmodernusage,cohortoftenretainsashadeofthisoriginalmeaning.

• The IRSofficewassurroundedbyacohortofdisgruntled taxpayersdemandingtheheadoftheleadagent.

Cohort is increasingly used to mean companion or accomplice, but many carefulspeakers and writers would consider this to be careless usage. An example: Thearmedrobberandhiscohortwerebothsentencedtohundredsofyearsinprison.

COMMEMORATE (kuh MEM uh rayt) v to honor the memory of; to serve as amemorialto

• Thebigstatueinthevillagesquarecommemoratesthefoundingofthetown250yearsago.

• The members of the senior class painted a mural on the cafeteria wall tocommemoratetheirgraduation.

Anactofcommemoratingisacommemoration(kuhMEMuhRAYshun).• The commemoration for the new building lasted so long that the wearyparticipantsforgotwhattheyweresupposedtobecommemorating.

COMMISERATE (kuh MIZ uh rayt) v to express sorrow or sympathy for; tosympathizewith;topityTocommiseratewithsomeoneisto“sharethemisery”ofthatperson.

• Mygrandmothercommiseratedwithmewhen I toldherabout the terribleday Ihadhadatschool.

• Intheaftermathoftheflood,themayorwasquicktocommiseratebutslowtoofferanyaid.

• Theothermembersof thetennis teamcommiseratedwith theircaptainafterhishumiliatinglossinthefinalsofthetournament.

Commiseration(kuhmizuhRAYshun)isanactofcommiserating.

• Thenewwidowwaswearyofthecommiserationofherfriendsandeagertogetonwithherlife.

Thisisoneofmanywordsstartingwith“com”or“con”thatmean“with”somebodyorsomething.Watchoutforothersthroughoutthissection.Canyoufindsomethatdon’tsharethismeaning?


COMMODIOUS(kuhMOHdeeus) adj spacious;roomy;capacious• TheroomsintheoldhotelweresocommodiousthatSheilanearlygotlostonherwaytothebathroom.

• Themillionaire’s house was commodious but not particularly attractive; the bigroomswerefilledwithuglyfurniture.


COMPATIBLE(kumPATuhbul) adj harmonious;capableoffunctioning,working,orlivingtogetherinharmony;consistent

• Mycollege roommateand Iwerecompletelycompatible;weboth liked to leavethelightsandtelevisiononwhenweslept,andwebothsmokedcigars.

• Urban’snewcomputerwasnotcompatiblewithhisoldprinter;whenhehookedthetwoofthemtogether,theybothexploded.

Theoppositeofcompatibleisincompatible.• Ken and Gina divorced because they had decided, after thirty-five years ofmarriageandsevenchildren,thattheyweresimplyincompatible.

Thenouniscompatibility.

COMPETENT(KAHMpuhtunt) adj capable;qualified• The plumberMelody hired to fix her leaky pipeswas not competent;when theplumberhadfinished,thepipeswereleakierthantheyhadbeenbefore.

• Peter is a competent student but not an exceptional one; he earns averagegrades and he nevermakes observations that cause his teachers to gaspwithwonder.

• Ididn’tfeelcompetenttorebuildmycar’sengine,soI letatrainedmechanicdothejob.

Not tobecompetent is to be incompetent.An incompetent person is onewho lackscompetence(KAHMpuhtuns).

COMPILE(kumPYLE) v togathertogether;togathertogetherintoabook• At theendofa longcareer, thecompanypresidentcompiledhis thoughtsaboutbusinessinabookletthatwasdistributedtoallthecompany’semployees.

• Inadozenyearsinthebigleagues,thepitchercompiledarecordofvictoriesthatplacedhimincontentionforaspotintheHallofFame.

Theresultofanactofcompilingisacompilation(KAHMpuhlayshun).• Attheendofthesemester,thesecond-gradeteachersenteachchildhomewithacompilationofhisorherclassroomwork.

COMPLY(kumPLY) v toactorbeinaccordance(with)• ThedoctorcompliedwithmywishesandtoldmethatIhadtostayinbedalldayeatingicecreamandwatchingTV.

• Thecompany’smostsuccessfulsalesmanrefusedtocomplywitharulerequiringallmentowearneckties,sothecompanychangedtherule.

Tocomplywithsomethingistobeincompliance(kumPLYuns)withit.• The Internal Revenue Service doesn’t have the resources to audit every taxreturn;forthemostpart,itdependsonthevoluntarycomplianceoftaxpayers.


1. coddle a. spacious2. cogitate b. honorthememoryof3. cohort c. harmonious4. commemorate d. ponder5. commiserate e. capable6. commodious f. baby7. compatible g. gathertogether8. competent h. group9. compile i. actinaccordance10. comply j. expresssorrowfor

COMPOSED(kumPOHZD) adj calm;tranquil• Thedefendantwaseerilycomposedwhenthejudgereadthejury’sguiltyverdict;heseemedtoalmostwelcomehisconviction.

• Billy’s mother somehow managed to remain composed in the ticket line at

Disneyland,despitethefactthatBillywasclingingtoherlegandcryingatthetopofhislungs.

Tobecomposedistohavecomposure(kumPOHzhur).• Thejudgesweremostimpressedbytheyoungdancer’scomposure;despite thepressure of the nationally televised recital, she remained calmand finished herroutinewithoutmakingasingleerror.

COMPROMISE(KAHMpruhmyze) n asettlementofdifferencesinwhicheachsidegivesupsomething

• BillandPhilcouldn’tsettletheirargumentaboutthecompositionofthemoon,sotheyagreedtoacompromise;onevenlynumbereddaystheywouldbelievethatitwasmadeofgreencheese,andonoddlynumbereddaystheywouldbelievethatitwasmadeofIvorysoap.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.Tocompromiseistomakeacompromise.• Evenafterayearofnegotiations,theleadersofthetwowarringcountriesrefusedtocompromise;eachwishedtobeviewedasthevictorintheirdispute.

Tocompromisecanalsomeantoabandonorgiveup.Tocompromiseone’sprinciplesistodosomethinginviolationofone’sprinciples.

• Sally chose detention for violating her high school’s dress code rather thancompromiseherbeliefinfreedomofexpression.

COMPUNCTION (kum PUNK shun) n remorse; a feeling of uneasiness at doingsomethingwrong

• Ms.Rileyhadnocompunctionaboutovereatingifshethoughtthathermealwaslowinfat.

• The bank robberwas absolutelywithout compunction; he filled his satchel withcashascalmlyasifhehadbeenfillingitwithgroceries.

CONCAVE(kahnKAYV) adj curvedinward,liketheinsideofacircleorasphereIf youcutavolleyball inhalf, the insidesurfaceofeachhalfwouldbeconcave. Theoutsidesurfaceofeachhalfwouldbeconvex(kahnVEKS).It’seasytokeepthesetwowords straight. A concave surface goes in, theway a cave does. A convex surfacegoesout,inawaythatwillvexyouifyoudon’trememberthepartaboutthecave.

• Abigoptical telescope is likely tohavebothaconcave reflectivesurfaceandanumberofconvexlenses.

CONCEDE(kunSEED) v toacknowledgeastrueorright;tograntoryield• Thecandidateconcededtheelectionshortlybeforemidnight,afterithadbecomeabundantlyclearthathisopponentwasgoingtowinbyalandslide.

• Jerryrefusedtoconcededefeat,eventhoughhisfootballteamwaslosing63–14.

Toconcedeistomakeaconcession(kunSESHun).• Despite his concession that he didn’t know what he was talking about, Harrycontinuedtoarguehispointasstronglyasbefore.

CONCENTRIC(kunSENtrik) adj havingthesamecenter• Theinnerandouteredgesofadoughnutareconcentriccircles.Soaretheringsonanarcherytarget.

CONCERT(KAHNsurt) n combinedaction;agreement• Byacting inconcert, the threeboyswereable to lift the rock thatnoneof themhadbeenabletoliftwhileactingalone.

Aconcerted(kunSURtud)effortisonemadebyindividualsactinginconcert.

CONCOCT(kunKAHKT) v tocreatebymixingingredients;todevise• Using only the entirely unexciting groceries she found in the refrigerator, themasterchefconcoctedafabulousseven-coursemealthatleftherguestsshakingtheirheads.

• Because so many of the streets were flooded from the rains, Sylvia had toconcoctanelaborateplantodrivetothesupermarketandback.

Aconcoction(kunKAHKshun)issomethingthathasbeenconcocted.• Afterproudlyannouncingthattheyhadmadedessert,thechildrenbroughtinanunsettlingconcoctionthatappearedtocontainnothingedible.

CONCOMITANT(kunKAHMuhtunt) adj followingfrom;accompanying;goingalongwith

• DerekJeter’ssuccessonthebaseball field,andtheconcomitant increaseinthesizeofhisbankaccount,madehimtheenvyofallprofessionalbaseballplayers.

• Along with his large cash donation, the philanthropist made a concomitantpromisetosupportthenewlibrarywithsmallergiftsinthecomingyears.


CONFEDERATE(kunFEDurut) n anally;anaccomplice• Therebelshadfewconfederatesinthecountryside;asaresult,theywereneverabletofieldmuchofanarmy.

• Ittookthepoliceseveralmonthstotrackdowntheembezzler’sconfederates,buttheywereeventuallyabletoarrestmostofthem.

Agroupofconfederatesisaconfederation(kunfedurAYshun).TheConfederacy(kunFED ur uh see), formally known as the Confederate States of America, was the

confederation of eleven southern states that seceded from the United States ofAmericabetween1860and1861,precipitatingtheCivilWar.

Confederate,pronounced“kunFEDuhrayt,”isaverb.

CONFER(kunFER) v toexchangeideas;toconsultwith;tobestow• The refereesconferred briefly before ruling that the pass had been incompleteandthatnotouchdownhadbeenscored.

• I told the salesman that I needed to confer with my wife by telephone beforesigningaformalagreementtobuytheoldoceanliner.

• Theadministrationdecidedtoconferanhonorarydegreeupontheoldmillionairebecause it hoped doing so would cause him to leave a large donation to theuniversityinhiswill.

Aconference(KAHNferuns)isameetingatwhichpeopleconfer.


1. composed a. ally2. compromise b. acknowledgeastrue3. compunction c. havingthesamecenter4. concave d. settlementofdifferences5. concentric e. followingfrom6. concert f. combinedaction7. concede g. curvedinward8. concoct h. calm9. concomitant i. createbymixingingredients10. confederate j. remorse

CONFIDANT(KAHNfudahnt) n apersonwithwhomsecretsorprivatethoughtsareshared

• Aconfidantisapersoninwhomonecanconfide(kunFYDE).• Sally’sbrotherwasalsoherconfidant;whenshehadaproblemthatshefeltshecoulddiscusswithnooneelse,shecalledhim.

Afemaleconfidantisaconfidante,butthepronunciationremainsthesame.

CONFIGURATION(kunfigyuhRAYshun) n arrangement

• Theconfigurationoftheseatswassuchthatnooneintheaudiencehadaclearviewofthestage.

• MywifeandIlovedtheexteriorofthehouse,butwehatedtheconfigurationoftherooms.

• By slightly altering the configuration of chips on the motherboard of his laptopcomputer,Zachwasabletoturnitintoacombinationdeathrayandtimemachine.

Toconfigureistoarrange.

CONFLAGRATION(kahnfluhGRAYshun) n alargefire• The smoldering rags in thedumpster ignited thedrumsof explosive chemicals,andthesmallfirerapidlybecameaconflagrationthatenvelopedtheentireblock.

CONFLUENCE(KAHNfloouns) n aflowingtogether• St.LouisissituatedattheconfluenceoftheMissouriandMississippirivers.• Pier’s newbook,Angling in theKitchen, represented the confluence of his twomaininterestsinlife,fishingandcooking.


CONFOUND(kunFOUND) v tobewilder;toamaze;tothrowintoconfusion• The team’s inability toscoreconfounded thecoach,whohadexpectedaneasyvictory.

• Allen’s failure to understand his computer continues to confound his efforts tobecomecomputer-literate.

CONGEAL(kunJEEL) v tosolidify;tojell• Thebacongreasecongealedintoasmoothwhitemasswhenweputtheskilletinthefreezer.

• IttookseveralyearsformyideasaboutinvisibilitytocongealtothepointatwhichIcouldbeginmanufacturingandmarketingvanishingpills.

CONJUGAL(KAHNjuhgul) adj havingtodowithmarriage• Aftertwenty-eightyearsofconjugalbliss,MaydivorcedBenwhenBensuddenlyconfessedthatheneverlikedthewaysheflossedherteeth.


CONNIVE (kuh NYVE) v to conspire; to aid or encourage a wrong by feigningignoranceofit

• An investigation revealed that virtually the entire police department had beenconnivingwiththeneighborhooddrugdealers,givingthemimmunityinexchangeforacutoftheprofits.

Thenounisconnivance(kuhNYVEuns).

CONSERVATORY(kunSERvuhtawree) n agreenhouse,usuallyoneattachedtoanotherstructure;amusicordramaschool

• On sunny mornings, Mrs. Klein liked to have breakfast in the conservatory,surroundedbyherorchidsandminiaturepalmtrees.

• Aftercollege,HugospentsixyearsstudyingtheviolinataVienneseconservatory.

CONSIGN(kunSYNE) v tohandover;toassign;toentrust;tobanish• Uponherretirement,Dinahconsignedtohercoworkersthecontentsofherdesk.• TwodecadesafterFrank’sdeath,mostcriticsconsignedhisnovelstotheliterarytrashheap.

Thenounform,consignment(kunSYNEmunt),referstothatwhichishandedover.• Thebookstoreownerwaswaitinganxiously for thepublisher tosendheranewconsignmentofbooks;withnobookstosell,shehadlittletodoatworkallday.


1. confer a. solidify2. confidant b. havingtodowithmarriage3. configuration c. greenhouse4. conflagration d. arrangement5. confluence e. largefire6. confound f. personwithwhomsecretsareshared7. congeal g. conspire8. conjugal h. exchangeideas9. connive i. bewilder10. conservatory j. flowingtogether

CONSOLIDATE (kunSAHLuhdayt) v to combineor bring together; to solidify; tostrengthen

• Thenewchairmantriedtoconsolidatethecompany’sdisparateoperationsintoasingleunitthatwouldbeeasiertomanage.

• IconsolidatedthemoneyinmymanybankaccountsbywithdrawingitfromallofthemandputtingitinaboxthatIkeptundermybed.

• The baseball team consolidated its hold on first place by winning all of itsremaininggames.

CONSPICUOUS(kunSPIKyoous) adj easilyseen;impossibletomiss• Therewasaconspicuousabsenceofgoodfoodattheterribleparty,andmanyoftheguestswentouttoarestaurantafterward.

• Theformerpresidentmadeaconspicuousdisplayofhisgleamingwristwatch;hehadjustsignedapromotionalcontractwiththewatch’smanufacturer.

• Conspicuous consumption is a variety of showing off that consists ofmaking apublicdisplayofbuyingandusingalotofexpensivestuff.

Theoppositeofconspicuousisinconspicuous.

CONSTERNATION(kahnsturNAYshun) n suddenconfusion• Theconsternation of the childrenduring the fire drillwasevident in their faces;theireyeswerewidewithfearanduncertainty.

CONSTITUENCY (kunSTICHoo un see) n the group of voters represented by apolitician;agroupofsupportersforanything

• Theninety-year-oldcandidatedidmostofhiscampaigningoncollegecampuses,even though his natural constituency was the town’s large population of seniorcitizens.

• Thecompany’spresidentfailedtobuildaconstituencyontheboardtosupporthisplantoraisehissalaryby300percent.

Aconstituencyismadeupofconstituents(kunSTICHoounts).• The senator never forgot who had elected him; he spent most of his time inWashingtondoingfavorsforhisconstituents.

CONTEMPT(kunTEMPT) n disdain;disgrace• Thelawyer’scontempt forthejudgewasclear;whenshesaid“Yourhonor,”shehadboththumbsinherearsandwastwiddlingherfingersathim.

• Ihavenothingbutcontemptforpeoplewhosayonethinganddoanother.• Thedishoneststorekeeperwasheldincontemptbythetownspeople,virtuallyallofwhombeganshoppingsomewhereelse.

Youwill often find thiswordused ina legal context in thephrasecontemptof court.Someoneistypicallychargedwithcontemptofcourtforbeingdisrespectfulofthejudgeorrulesoflegalprocedure.

CONTINUUM (kun TIN yoo um) n a continuous whole without clear division into

parts• The spectrumof visible light is acontinuum inwhich each color blends into itsneighbors.

• Einstein’stheoryofrelativityholdsthatspaceandtimearenotdistinctdimensionsbutinseparableaspectsofacontinuum.

Notecarefullythespellingofthisword.

CONTRABAND(KAHNtruhband) n smuggledgoods• Themilitarypolicelookedforcontrabandintheluggageofthereturningsoldiers,andtheyfoundplentyofit,includingcapturedenemyweaponsandillegaldrugs.

• Theheadofthedormitoryclassifiedallcandyascontrabandandthenwentfromroomtoroomconfiscatingit,sothathecouldeatithimself.

CONTRETEMPS(KAHNtruhtahn) n anembarrassingoccurrence;amishap• Newell lost his job over a little contretemps involving an office party, thephotocopier,andhisrearend.


CONTUMELY(kunTOOmuhlee) n rudeness;insolence;arrogance• In the opinion of the teacher, the student’s sticking out his tongue during thePledgeofAllegiancewasunforgivablecontumely.

Tobeguiltyofcontumelyistobecontumelious(kahntooMEEleeus).• Thecontumeliousprisonersstuckouttheirtonguesattheirjailers.


1. consign a. combine2. consolidate b. embarrassingoccurrence3. conspicuous c. continuouswhole4. consternation d. handover5. constituency e. groupofvoters6. contempt f. smuggledgoods7. continuum g. disdain8. contraband h. suddenconfusion

9. contretemps i. rudeness10. contumely j. easilyseen

CONUNDRUM(kuhNUNdrum) n apuzzleorproblemwithoutasolution• Whattodoaboutthedirtydishespilingupinthesinkwasaconundrumthatthefourroommatescouldnotevenbegintosolve.

• EnglishgrammarwasaconundrumtoMarcia;shejustcouldn’tfigureouthowtoputtwowordstogether.


CONVENE(kunVEEN) v togathertogether;toassemble;tomeet• Fortheirannualmeeting,themembersofthephysicians’organizationconvenedonthefirstteeoftheseasidegolfcourse.

• Mr.Jenkinsconvened theworkers in thecafeteria to tell themtheyhadallbeenfired.

A convention is an event at which people convene for the purpose of exchanginginformation,learningnewskills,eatingrichfood,andgoingshopping.

CONVERSANT(kunVURsunt) adj familiar;experienced• Afterjusttwodaysonthejob,Gloriawasnotyetconversantwiththemanyruleslaiddownbyhernewemployer.

• Severalweeks’worthofwatchingthesportschannelhadmadeOmarconversantwiththerulesoffootball,eventhoughhehadneverplayedthegamehimself.

CONVERSE(KAHNvurs) n theopposite• Freddyfollowednottherulebutitsconverse;thatis,hedidtheoppositeofwhathewassupposedtodo.

CONVEY(kunVAY) v totransport;toconduct;tocommunicate• Thetrainconveyedusacrosstheborderinthemiddleofthenight.• Theredpipesconveythehotwater,andtheblueonesconveythecold.• The lookonmymother’s face is impossible formetoconvey;herexpression isindescribable.

A conveyance (kun VAY uns) is an act of transporting or a means of transporting,especiallyavehicle.Abusisapublicconveyance.

CONVICTION(kunVIKshun) n strongbelief;adeterminationofguilt

• ItisTerence’sconvictionthattheearthisthecenteroftheuniverse,butTerence’sconvictioniswrong.

• Eversincehisconvictionforfirst-degreemurder,Lesterhasbeenspendingquiteabitoftimeinjail.

CONVOLUTION(kahnvuhLOOshun) n atwistorturn;theactoftwistingorturning• I couldn’t follow all the convolutions in the plot of the murder mystery; everycharacterseemedtohaveadozenidentities,andeveryoccurrenceturnedouttobesomethingotherthanwhatithadappearedtobeatfirst.

• LockedwithintheconvolutionsofaDNAmoleculeisthesecretoflife.Aconvolutedplot isaplot thathas lotsof twistsandturns.Aconvolutedargument isonethatissocomplexthatitisdifficulttofollow,justasatwistedpathwouldbehardtofollow.Ifyouhaveasimplestorytotell,don’tconvolute(kahnvuhLOOT)itbymakingitmorecomplicatedthanitneedstobe.

COPIOUS(KOHpeeus) adj abundant;plentiful• Minorheadinjuriessometimesproducecopiousamountsofbloodbecausetherearemanybloodvesselsinthescalp.

• Thecopiousharvestensuredthatthevillagerswouldsurviveanotherwinter;therewouldbeplentyoffoodforall.

CORDIAL(KAWRjul) adj gracious;warm;sincere• Wereceivedacordialwelcomefromourhost,whowasclearlydelightedthatmywifeandIhadcometospendseveralmonthswithhim.

• Thepoliceofficerwascordial;hesmiledandshookmyhandbeforeheledmeofftojail.

Tobecordialistodothingscordiallyorwithcordiality(kawrjeeALuhtee).


COROLLARY (KAWRuh ler ee) n a proposition that follows easily and obviouslyfromanother;anaturalconsequenceorconclusion

• A corollary of Susannah’s rule that her children would be responsible for thecleanlinessoftheirroomswasthattheirroomswerealwaysfilthy.


CORPOREAL(kawrPAWReeul) adj material; tangible;havingsubstance, likethebody

• Stevewasmildlycrazy;hebelievedthatatnighthisthoughtsbecamecorporealandwanderedaroundhishouseeatingpotatochipsanddoinglaundry.

Thiswordisoftenconfusedwithcorporal(KAWRpuhrul),whichmeanshavingtodowith thebody.Beatingacriminal iscorporal punishment.Someonewhohasa lot ofbodyfatiscorpulent(KAWRpyuhlunt).Abodyofpeopleiscalledcorps(kohr),likethearmycorps.



1. conundrum a. twistorturn2. convene b. puzzle3. conversant c. familiar4. converse d. naturalconsequence5. convey e. transport6. conviction f. strongbelief7. convolution g. gracious8. copious h. opposite9. cordial i. gathertogether10. corollary j. abundant

CORRELATION(kawruhLAYshun) n amutualrelationbetweentwoormorethings• Thecorrelationbetweencigarettesmokingandlungcancerhasbeenestablishedtothesatisfactionofeveryoneexceptthemanufacturersofcigarettes.

• There is a strong correlation between the quality of a football team and thenumberofgamesthat itwins inaseason.That is, thequalityofa football teamanditsnumberofvictoriesarestronglycorrelated.

CORROSIVE(kuhROHsiv) adj eatingaway;destructive• MaryEllen’s chutneycontainedsomecorrosive ingredient thatburnedahole inJeremy’splate.

• Largequantitiesofmoneyhaveacorrosiveeffectonthemoralsofmanypeople.Acorrosivesubstanceisonethatcorrodessomethingelse.

CORRUGATED(KAWRuhgaytud) adj shapedwithfoldsorwavesCorrugatedsheetmetalissheetmetalthathasbeenshapedsothatithasridgesandvalleys,likearidgedpotatochip.Corduroypantscouldbesaidtobecorrugated.Muchofthepaperboardusedinmakingcardboardcartonsiscorrugated.

COTERIE (KOH tuh ree) n a group of close associates; a circle (of friends orassociates)

• The visiting poet-in-residence quickly developed a large coterie of studentadmirers, all of whom hoped that the visitor would be able to help them findpublishersfortheirpoems.

• InMary’sopinion,ifyouweren’tapartofhercoterie,thenyouweren’tanybodyatall.

COWER(KOWur) v toshrinkawayorhuddleupinfear• Thesoundof her boss’s footsteps in thehallwaymadeLeahcower behind herdesklikeawoundedanimal.

• When Tyson turned on the lights, he found the children cowering behind thecouch;themovieonTVhadscaredthewitsoutofthem.

• Inthemorning, thechildrenfoundtheirnewpuppycowering in thecornerofhisbox,afraidofhisnewenvironment.

CRASS(kras) adj extremelyunrefined;gross;stupid• Sendingaget-wellcardtothemanwhohadjustdiedwasaprettycrassgesture,intheopinionofhiswidow.

• The seventh-grade mixer was spoiled by the crassness of the seventh-gradeboys, who shouted rude remarks at the girls and then ran off to hide in therestroom.

CRAVEN(KRAYvun) adj cowardly• The craven soldier turned his back on his wounded comrade and ran for thesafetyofthetrenches.

• Thesecond-gradebullywas fullofblusterwhen thekindergartnerswereon theplayground,buthebecamequitecravenwhenthethirdgraderscameoutfortheirrecess.

CRESCENDO (kruhSHENdoh) n agradual increase in thevolumeofasound;agradualincreaseintheintensityofanything

• Theconcertendedwithastirringcrescendothatbeganwithasinglenotefromasingle violin and built up to a thunderous roar from every instrument in theorchestra.

• The fund-raisingcampaignbuiltslowly toacrescendoofgiving thatpushed the

totalwellbeyondtheoriginalgoal.

CRESTFALLEN(KRESTfawlun) adj dejected;dispiritedYourcrest(krest)isthehighestpointofyourbody—yourhead.Whenyourcrestfalls—whenyourheadisdrooping—youaredejectedordispirited.Youarecrestfallen.

• ThebigredFonhersciencepaperleftZoecrestfallen,untilsherealizedthattheFstoodfor“Fantastic.”

• IwascrestfallenwhenIopenedmyChristmaspresents;allIgotwereunderwearandsocks.

CREVICE(KREVus) n anarrowsplit,crack,orfissure• ThewinninglotteryticketIhadfoundonthesidewalkfell intoacrevicebetweenthetwobuildings,andIneversawitagain.

A largecrevice in aglacier on the earth’s surface is usually called acrevasse (kruhVAS). The tiny crack in a rock face from which a mountain climber hangs by hisfingernailsisacrevice;thedeepcrackinaglacierintowhichamountainclimberfalls,nevertobeseenagain,isacrevasse.


1. corporeal a. destructive2. correlation b. cowardly3. corrosive c. mutualrelation4. corrugated d. gradualincreaseinvolume5. coterie e. tangible6. cower f. dejected7. crass g. extremelyunrefined8. craven h. groupofcloseassociates9. crescendo i. shapedwithfolds10. crestfallen j. huddleinfear

CRINGE(krinj) v toshrinkbackwithfear;tocower;tobeservile• Alisoncringedwhenthedoctorcamestridingtowardherwithalonghypodermicneedleinhishand.

• Thecringingjestereventuallybegantoannoytheking,whotoldthejestertostopfawning.

CRITIQUE(kruhTEEK) n acriticalreview• Thereviewer’sbrutalcritiqueofmylatestbookmademereluctantevertopickupapenagain.

• Lloyd liked tohelpoutaround thekitchenbyofferingconcisecritiquesofnearlyeverymovehiswifemade.

Critiquecanalsobeusedasaverb.• Theartteachercritiquedthestudents’projectsinfrontoftheentireclass,makingsomeofthestudentsfeelutterlymiserable.

Critique is neutral—it doesn’t necessarily have a negative connotation, though it isrelated to several words that typically do. A critic is onewho expresses an opinion,oftenunfavorable,whichisalsocalledbeingcritical.

CRUX(kruks) n thecentralpoint;theessenceThecruxofanargument is thecrucialpartof it.Cruxandcrucial are relatedwords.Oftenwhenyousee thisword, itwill be followedby “of thematter.” Thecruxof thematteristheheartofthematter.

• Buildingalotofatombombsanddroppingthemonthecapitalwasthecruxoftherenegadegeneral’splantotoppletheexistinggovernment.

CUISINE(kwiZEEN) n astyleofcookingCuisine is theFrenchword for kitchen and cooking.A restaurant advertisingFrenchcuisine is a restaurant that serves food prepared in a French style. A restaurantadvertisingItaliancuisineisslightlyabsurd,sincecuisineisFrenchnotItalian,butthisusageiscommonandeveryoneunderstandsit.

CULL(kul) v topickoutfromamongmany;toselect;tocollect• The farmer culled the best raspberries from his new crop and sold them fortwenty-fivecentsapiece.

• Thepoetculledafewofhisfavoritepoemsfromamonghiscollectedworksandhadthemprintedinaspecialedition.

• Onthefirstdayofschool,theveteranteacherculledthetroublemakersfromherclassroomandhadthemassignedtootherteachers.

CURB(kurb) v torestrainorcontrol• ThebestwayI’vefoundtocurbmyappetiteistoeatacoupleofpintsofcoffeeicecream;onceI’vedonethat,I’mnothungryanymore.

• Thescout leaderdidhisbesttocurb theyoungscouts’naturaltendencytobeatuponeanother.

Acurb issomethingthatcurbs.Thecurbonastreet isabarrier thatcurbscars fromdrivingontothesidewalk.

CURMUDGEON(kurMUJun) n adifficult,bad-temperedperson• OldagehadturnedkindlyoldMr.Greenintoacurmudgeon;heneverseemedtoseeanythingthatdidn’tdispleasehim,andhealwayshadsomethingnastytosaytothepeoplewhocametovisit.

The words old and curmudgeon often appear together. Sometimes curmudgeon isusedaffectionately,aswhenwerefertoanelderlypersonwhoishumorouslygrumpyfromtheachesandpainsoflife.Acurmudgeoncanbesaidtobecurmudgeonly.


CURSORY(KURsuhree) adj quickandunthorough;hasty;superficial• Stanhadaphotographicmemory;aftergivingthebookjustacursoryglance,heknewtheentirethingbyheart.

• Thepainterprepared theexteriorof thehouse insuchacursorymannerbeforepaintingitthatallofthenewpaintpeeledoffalmostimmediately.

• The doctorwas socursory in his examination that he failed to notice the largetumoratthebaseofthepatient’sspine.


1. crevice a. restrain2. cringe b. pickoutfromamongmany3. critique c. criticalreview4. crux d. styleofcooking5. cuisine e. shrinkbackwithfear6. cull f. centralpoint7. curb g. narrowsplit8. curmudgeon h. quickandunthorough9. cursory i. difficult,bad-temperedperson

DDEBASE(diBAYS) v tolowerinqualityorvalue;todegrade

• Todepriveasinglepersonofhisorherconstitutionalrightsdebasesthelibertyofusall.

• Thehigh school teacher’s reputationasagreat educatorwasdebasedwhen itwas discovered that his students’ test scores dropped by five points after theyutilizedhistest-takingstrategies.

Thenounisdebasement.Seeourlistingforabase.

DEBUNK(diBUNK) v toexposethenonsenseof• Thereporter’scarefulexposédebunkedthecompany’sclaimthatithadnotbeendumpingradioactivewasteintotheHudsonRiver.

• Paul’s reputation as a philanthropist was a towering lie just waiting to bedebunked.

Bunk,bytheway,isnonsenseormeaninglesstalk.

DECREE(diKREE) n anofficialorder,usuallyhavingtheforceoflaw• The crazy king’s latest decree forbade the wearing of hats and the eating ofasparagus.

This word can also be a verb. To decree something is to declare it formally andofficially.

• Ina last-ditchattempt towin favoramongwealthyvoters, thepresidentdecreedthatthenceforthonlypoorpeoplewouldhavetopaytaxes.

DECRY(diKRY) v toputdown;todenounce• Thenewspapereditorialdecriedeffortsbythepolicechieftorootoutcorruptioninthepolicedepartment,sayingthatthechiefwashimselfcorruptandcouldnotbetrusted.

• Theenvironmentalorganizationquicklyissuedareportdecryingthelargeminingcompany’splantoreducetheentiremountaintorubbleinitssearchforuranium.

Notecarefullythemeaningofthisword.

DEEM(deem) v tojudge;toconsider• Motherdeemed itunwise to lure thebear into thehousebysmearinghoneyonthefrontsteps.

• Mypaperwasdeemed tobe inadequatebymyteacher,andhegave ita failinggrade.

• Aftertakingbutasinglebite,Angusdeemedthemealtobedelectable.

DEFICIT(DEFuhsit) n ashortage,especiallyofmoney• Thenationaldeficit is theamountbywhichthenation’srevenuesfallshortof itsexpenditures.

• Frank had forgotten to eat lunch; he made up the deficit at dinner by eatingsecondsofeverything.

• Unexpectedly large legal fees left the company with a deficit in its operatingbudget.

Deficitisrelatedtothewordsdeficiencyanddefect.

DEFILE(diFYLE) v tomakefilthyorfoul;todesecrate• ThesnowyfieldwassobeautifulthatIhatedtodefileitbydrivingacrossit.• Inthenight,vandalsdefiledthepaintingbehindthealtarbycoveringitwithspraypaint.

DEFT(deft) adj skillful• Thestoredetectivewassodeft inhis captureof theshoplifter thatnoneof thecustomerswasawareofwhatwasgoingon.

• Inonedeftmove,theshortstopscoopedtheballoutofthedirtandflippedittothesecondbaseman.

DEFUNCT(diFUNKT) adj nolongerineffect;nolongerinexistence• Mostofthebusinessesintheoldestsectionofdowntownwerenowdefunct;thenewspecialtystoresontheothersideoftheriverhadputthemoutofbusiness.

• Myalreadylimitedinterestincuttingthegrasswasjustaboutdefunctbythetimethegrasswasactuallyreadytocut,soInevergotaroundtodoingit.

• Thelongspellofextremelyhotweatherleftmyentiregardendefunct.Defunctisrelatedtothewordfunction.

DEGRADE(diGRAYD) v tolowerindignityorstatus;tocorrupt;todeteriorate• Beingmade to performmenial duties at the behest of overbearingmale seniorpartnersclearlydegradesthelawfirm’sfemaleassociates.

• Theformerbankpresidentfeltdegradedtoworkasateller,buthewasunabletofind any other job. The former bank president felt that working as a teller wasdegrading.

• The secret potionhaddegraded over the years to the point atwhich itwas nolongercapableofturningapersonintoafrog.

Degradation(degruhDAYshun)istheactofdegradingorthestateofbeingdegraded.


1. debase a. judge2. debunk b. shortage3. decree c. officialorder4. decry d. exposethenonsenseof5. deem e. skillful6. deficit f. makefilthy7. defile g. degrade8. deft h. nolongerineffect9. defunct i. lowerindignity10. degrade j. denounce

DEIGN(dayn) v tocondescend;tothinkitnotinaccordancewithone’sdignity(todosomething)

• WhenIaskedtheprincewhetherhewouldbewillingtolendmefivebucksfortherestoftheday,hedidnotdeigntomakeareply.

DEITY(DEEuhtee) n agodorgoddess• Membersoftheancienttribebelievedthatthebigsprucetreeinthemiddleoftheforestwasanangrydeity thatpunished thembyruiningcropsandbringingbadweather.

• ManyofElvis’sfansviewhimasadeity;afewevenbelievethat listeningtohisrecordscancurecancer.

Totreatsomeoneorsomethingasadeityistodeify(DEEuhfy)it.• Sashadeifiedmoney;the“almightydollar”washergod.

DEJECTED(diJEKtid) v depressed;disheartened• BarneywasdejectedwhenheheardthatFredhadgonetothelodgewithouthim,buthecheereduplaterwhenBettymadehimsomebrownies.

• Themembersof the losing field-hockey team lookeddejected; theirheadswerebowed,andtheyweredraggingtheirsticks.

Tobedejected is tobe inastateofdejection (di JEKshun).Rejectionoftencausesdejection.

DELECTABLE(diLEKtuhbul) adj delightful;delicious

• Vince’ssuccessasawriterwasmadeallthemoredelectabletohimbythefailureofhisclosestrival.

• TheChristmas turkey lookeddelectable froma distance, but itwas so dry andleatherythatitwasnearlyimpossibletoeat.

DELINQUENT(diLINGkwent) adj neglectingadutyorlaw;lateinpayment• Thedelinquent father failed to showup for visitswith his children fromhis firstmarriage.

• Thecity’smotorvehiclebureaudecidedto impoundthecarsofdriverswhohadbeendelinquentinpayingtheirtraffictickets.

• The telephonecompanychargesa late fee forcustomerswhoaredelinquent inpayingtheirbills.

Delinquent can also be a noun. A personwho fails to pay his or her taxes is a taxdelinquentandissubjecttoprosecution.Ajuveniledelinquent isayoungpersonwhohabituallybreaksthelaw.

DELVE(delv) v tosearchorstudyintensivelyDelveoriginallymeanttodig,andyouoccasionallyfindthewordstillusedinthisway.Aminermight be said todelve the earth for ore, for example. In itsmodernmeaning,delvemeanstodigmetaphorically.Todelveintoasubjectistodigdeeplyintoit—notwithashovel,butwithyourmind.

• Janicewasafraidtodelveintoherchildhoodmemoriesbecauseshewasafraidofwhatshemightremember.

DEMEANOR(diMEEnur) n behavior;manner• YoucouldtellbyBarclay’sdemeanor thathewasajerk;hepickedhisnosetwonostrilsatatime,andhesnortedloudlywheneverheheardorsawsomethingthathedidn’tlike.

• The substitute teacher was thrilled by the demeanor of the children until sherealizedthattheyhadgluedhercoffeemugtohertable.

Don’t confuse this word with the verb to demean, or the adjective demeaning. Todemeansomethingistoloweritsdignityorstature.

DEMISE(diMYZE) n death• Aunt Isabel was grief-stricken about thedemise of her favorite rose bush; thatplantwastheonlyfriendshehadeverhad.

• Ever since the legislature had passed an income tax, Senator Jones had beenworkingtobringaboutitsdemise.

• Oscar’s arrest for possession of cocaine led quickly to the demise of his lawpractice.

DEMOGRAPHY (di MAHG ruh fee) n the statistical study of characteristics ofpopulationsThe prefix demo- means people or population. Therefore, democracy is rule by thepeople. The suffix -graphy refers to a written record. Therefore, demography is thestudyofcharacteristicssharedbygroupsofpeople.Whenamagazineannouncesthat75 percent of its readers drink Scotch and that 53 percent of them earnmore than$100,000per year, it is referring to the results of ademographic (demuhGRAF ik)study. The characteristics measured in such a study are referred to as thedemographics of the group being studied. A personwho studies demographics is ademographer(diMAHGruhfur).

• Computers havemade it possible for companies to learn quite a bit about thedemographics of their customers, such as how old they are, howmuchmoneytheymake,howmanychildrentheyhave,andwhatotherproductstheybuy.


DEMUR(diMUR) v toobject;totakeexception• DiegodemurredwhenIsuggestedthatheeattheentireplateof“seriouslyspicy”chickenwingsatFred’sDiner.

Don’tconfusethiswordwithdemure,whichfollows.



1. deign a. delightful2. deity b. death3. dejected c. godorgoddess4. delectable d. takeexception5. delinquent e. studyofpopulationcharacteristics6. delve f. depressed7. demeanor g. searchintensively8. demise h. behavior9. demography i. condescend10. demur j. neglectingaduty

DEMURE(diMYOOR) adj shy;reserved;sedateDon’tconfusethiswordwithdemur.

• Jenna was a demure child; she sat quietly next to her mother with her handsfoldedinherlap.


DENOMINATION(dinahmuhNAYshun) n aclassification;acategorynameReligious denominations are religious groups consisting of a number of relatedcongregations. Episcopalians and Methodists represent two distinct Christiandenominations.

Denominationisoftenusedinconnectionwithcurrency.Whenabankrobberdemandsbillsinsmalldenominations,heorshe isdemandingbillswith lowfacevalues:ones,fives,andtens.

DENOTE(diNOHT) v tosignify;toindicate;tomark• Bluestainsinthesinkdenoteacidicwaterinthepipes.• Thedoll’sname—BabyWet’n’Mess—denotesexactlywhatitdoes.

DENOUNCE(diNOWNS) v tocondemn• Thepresidentpubliclydenounced,butprivatelycelebrated,theillegalactivitiesofthedirectoroftheCentralIntelligenceAgency.

• Inordertoavoidbeingsentto jail, thepoliticalprisonerdenounced thecause inwhichhebelieved.

Anactofdenouncingisadenunciation(dinunseeAYshun).

DEPICT(diPIKT) v toportray,especiallyinapicture;todescribeIf you think you see the same root as in picture, you’re right. Todepict is to drawapictureinsomeone’smind.

• TheenormousmuraldepictsvariousincidentsfromtheBible.• Thecandidate’sbrochuresaccuratelydepictedhisopponentasaswindlerandacharlatan,buthistelevisioncommercialsweredistorted.

Thenounformofthewordisdepiction.• Theauthor’sdepiction (diPIKshun)ofNewYorkwasnotbelievable toanyonewho has ever been to the city; for one thing, she described the Empire StateBuildingasbeingsevenstoriestall.

DEPLETE(diPLEET) v todecreasethesupplyof;toexhaust;touseup• After three years of careless spending, the young heir had depleted his

inheritancetothepointatwhichhewasnearlyindangerofhavingtoworkforaliving.Heregrettedthisdepletion.

• Irresponsible harvesting has seriouslydepleted the nation’s stock of old-growthtrees.

• Illness has depleted Simone’s strength to the point at which she could barelystandwithoutassistance.

Repletemeansfull.Thenounisrepletion.• Ozzy’s stomachwas replete after consuming eleven pints of chocolate-chip icecream.

DEPLORE(diPLAWR) v toregret;tocondemn;tolament• Itisonethingtodeplorewaste;actuallylearningtobelesswastefulisanother.• Mariaclaimedtodeplore thecommercializationofChristmas,butshedidspendseveralthousanddollarsonChristmaspresentsforeachofherchildren.

DEPLOY (di PLOY) v to station soldiers or armaments strategically; to arrangestrategically

• The Soviet soldiers were deployed along the border of Afghanistan, ready toattack.

• TheUnitedStateshasnuclearmissilesdeployedalloverEurope.• At the banquet, the hostess deployed her army of waiters around the garden,hoping thatnoneof theguestswouldhave towaitmore thana fewseconds toreceiveafullglassofchampagne.

DEPOSE(diPOHZ) v toremovefromofficeorpositionofpower• Thedisgruntledgeneralsdeposedthekingandthentookhimouttothecourtyardandshothim.

DEPREDATE(DEPruhdayt) v topreyupon;toplunderApredator issomeonewhopreysonothers.Todepredate is totakewhatbelongstoothers,byviolenceifnecessary.

• Thegreedybrokerdepredatedhiselderlyclients,stealingmanymillionsofdollarsbeforehewasfinallycaughtandsenttojail.

Anactorinstanceofdepredatingisadepredation(depruhDAYshun)orpredation(priDAYshun).

• Despitethefrequentdepredationsoftheenemysoldiers,thevillagersrebuilttheirhomesandwentonwiththeirlives.


DERELICT(DERuhlikt) adj neglectful;delinquent;deserted• The crack-addicted mother was derelict in her duty to her children; they wererunningaroundonthecitystreetsinfilthyclothes.

• Navigationwasmadedifficultby the rotting hulls of thederelict ships thatwerescatteredaroundthebay.

Derelictcanalsobeanoun.• Theonlycarinsightwasarustyderelictthathadbeenstrippedtoitschassisbyvandals.


1. demure a. decreasethesupplyof2. denomination b. condemn3. denote c. arrangestrategically4. denounce d. classification5. depict e. preyupon6. deplete f. portray7. deplore g. signify8. deploy h. removefromoffice9. depose i. shy10. depredate j. lament

DESIST(diZIST) v tostopdoing(something)• For several hours, I desisted from eating any of the pumpkin pie, but then Iweakenedandatethreepieces.

• The judge issued a cease-and-desist order that forbade Mr. Jones to paintobscenewordsonthegaragedoorofhisneighbor’shouse.

DEVOUT(diVOWT) adj deeplyreligious;fervent• MarywassuchadevoutCatholic thatshedecidedtobecomeanunandspendtherestofherlifeinaconvent.

• Bill isadevoutprocrastinator;heneverdoesanything today thathecanputoffuntiltomorrow—or,betteryet,thedayafterthat.

Devoutisrelatedtodevoted.Someonewhoisdevotedtosomethingisadevotee.

DIATRIBE(DYEuhtrybe) n abitter,abusivedenunciation

• Arnold’sreviewofNormanMailer’snewbookrapidlyturnedintoadiatribeagainstMailer’swriting.

• The essay was more of a diatribe than a critique; you could almost hear thesputteringoftheauthorasyoureadit.

DICHOTOMY(dyeKAHTuhmee) n divisionintotwoparts,especiallycontradictoryones

• TherehasalwaysbeenadichotomybetweenwhatHarrysaysandwhathedoes;hesaysonethinganddoestheother.

• Lindacouldneverresolvethedichotomybetweenherdesiretohelpotherpeopleandherdesiretomakelotsandlotsofmoney,soshedecidedjusttomakelotsandlotsofmoney.

DIFFUSE(diFYOOZ) v tocausetospreadout;tocausetodisperse;todisseminate• The tear gas diffused across the campus; students as far away as the libraryreportedthattheireyeswerestinging.

Ifsomethingisspreadout,itisdiffuse(diFYOOS).• Resistance to thepropositionwassodiffuse that theoppositionmovementwasneverabletodevelopanymomentum.

Thenounisdiffusion.

DILAPIDATED(diLAPuhdaytid) adj broken-down;fallenintoruinThiswordcomesfromaLatinwordmeaningtopeltwithstones.

• Adilapidatedhouse isone that is insuchastateof ruin that itappears tohavebeenattackedorpeltedwithstones.

• Our car was so dilapidated that you could see the pavement whizzing pastthroughthebigholesintherustyfloor.

DILATE(dyeLAYT) v tomakelarger;tobecomelarger;tospeakorwriteatlength• Beforeexaminingmyeyes, thedoctorgavemesomeeyedrops thatdilatedmypupils.

• Theporesintheskindilateinhotweathertocooltheskin.• Theeveningspeakerdilatedonhissubjectforsolongthatmostofthepeopleintheaudiencefellasleep.

Thenounisdilation.

DILEMMA(diLEMuh) n asituationinwhichonemustchoosebetweentwoequallyattractivechoices;anyproblemorpredicamentDilemmacomesfromGreekwordsmeaningdoubleproposition. Incarefulusage, thewordretainsthissenseandisusedonlywhenthechoiceisbetweentwothings.Inless

formalusage,though,thewordisusedtomeananyproblemorpredicament.Ifyouarestuck on the “horns of a dilemma,” you are having trouble choosing between twoequallyattractivechoices.

• Freddywantedbothanewcarandanewboat,buthadonlyenoughmoney tobuyoneofthem;hesolvedhisdilemmabybuyingthecarandchargingtheboat.

Dilemmaisaclosesynonymofquandary.

DIMINUTION(dimuhNOOshun) n theactorprocessofdiminishing;reduction• TheprocesswassogradualthatBasildidn’tnoticethediminutionofhiseyesight;itseemedtohimthathehadsimplywokenupblindonemorning.

• ThediminutionofthevalueofsavingsmeansthatIamnotaswealthyasIusedtobe.

Diminutive(diMINyootiv)meansverysmall.• Thegiant’swifewassurprisinglydiminutive;whenshestoodbesideherhusband,shelookedlikehischild.


1. derelict a. divisionintotwoparts2. desist b. causetospreadout3. devout c. stopdoing4. diatribe d. reduction5. dichotomy e. predicament6. diffuse f. deeplyreligious7. dilapidated g. makelarger8. dilate h. broken-down9. dilemma i. neglectful10. diminution j. bitterdenunciation

DIRE(DYEur) adj disastrous;desperate• Thetornadostruckthecenteroftown,withdireresults;nearlyeverybuildingwasflattened,andallthebeerpouredintothestreets.

• Thefamily’ssituationwasquitedire;theyhadnoclothes,nofood,andnoshelter.

DIRGE(durj) n afuneralsongAdirgeisamournfulsongplayedatyourfuneralwiththeintentionofmakingeveryone

whoknewyoufeelterriblysad.• Johann’s new composition was so dirgelike that it sounded like it ought to beplayedatafuneral.

DISAFFECT(disuhFEKT) v tocausetoloseaffection;toestrange;toalienate• With years of nitpicking, pestering, and faultfinding, Amanda disaffected herchildren.

• Mystudents’nastycommentsdidnotdisaffectme;IgavethemallA’sanyway,toshowthemthatIlovedthem.

Disaffection (dis uh FEK shun) is the loss of affection—easy to remember. To bedisaffectedistobenolongercontentornolongerloyal.

• Theassassinationattemptwasmadebyadisaffected civil servantwho felt thatthegovernmenthadruinedhislife.


DISARRAY(disuhRAY) n disorder;confusionAnarrayisanorderlyarrangementofobjectsorpeople.Disarrayisthebreakdownofthatorder.

• Mychildrenplayedinmyofficeforseveralhoursyesterday,andtheylefttheplaceindisarray,withpapersandsuppliesscatteredeverywhere.

• Theentirecompanyhadbeenindisarrayeversincefederalofficershadarrestedmostofthevicepresidents.

Disarraycanalsobeaverb.Todisarraysomethingistothrowitintodisarray.• The intermittent artillery bombardment disarrayed the soldiers, making itimpossibleforthemtoorganizeacounterattack.

DISCLAIM(disKLAYM) v todenyanyclaimto;torenounce• The mayor publicly disclaimed any personal interest in his brother’s concretecompany,eventhoughhewasamajorstockholder.

Adisclaimer (disKLAYmur) is anact or statement thatdisclaims. An advertisementthatmakesabold claim in large type (“Curescancer!”)will oftenalsomakeameekdisclaimerintinytype(“Exceptinlivingthings”)inordertokeepitfromviolatingtruth-in-advertisinglaws.

DISCOMFIT(disKUMfit) v tofrustrate;toconfuse• Sheila was discomfited by her secretary’s apparent inability to type, write agrammaticalsentence,answer thetelephone,orrecite thealphabet; in fact,shebegantothinkthathemightnotbefullyqualifiedforthejob.

Todiscomfit is not the sameas todiscomfort (disKUM furt),whichmeans tomakeuncomfortable or to make uneasy, although the two words are used more or lessinterchangeablybymany,manypeople.

DISCONCERT(diskunSERT) v toupset;toruffle;toperturb• ProfessorJonesused todisconcert his studentsby scrunchinguphis faceandplugginghisearswhenoneofthemwouldbegintosaysomething.

• The jet’s engine was making a disconcerting sound that reminded me of thesoundofanoldbootbouncingaround insideaclothesdryer; Iwasworried thatweweregoingtocrash.

• TheboosoftheaudiencedidnotdisconcertBob;hedronedonwithhisendless,boringspeechregardless.

Ifyouthinkofaconcertasaneventinwhichmusiciansplaytogether,itmakessensethatdisconcertmeanstocausetocomeapart.

DISCOURSE(DISkawrs) n spokenorwrittenexpressioninwords;conversation• The level ofdiscourse inside the dining hallwas surprisingly high; the studentswerediscussingnotdrugsorsexbutphilosophy.

• Thecompany’s imposingpresidentwasnotone fordiscourse;whenheopenedhismouth,itwastoissueacommand.

• ThereisnomorediscourseinAmericansociety;thereisonlytelevision.Seeourlistingfordiscursive.

DISCREPANCY(disKREPunsee) n difference;inconsistency• Therewasaslightdiscrepancybetweentheamountofmoneythatwassupposedto be in theaccount and the amount ofmoney that actuallywas; gradually theaccountantconcludedthatLoganhadstolensevenmilliondollars.

Theadjectiveisdiscrepant(disKREPunt).

DISCURSIVE(disKURsiv) adj ramblingfromonetopictoanother,usuallyaimlessly• Betty is an extremelydiscursive writer; she can’t write about one thing withoutbeingremindedofanother,andshecan’twriteaboutthatwithoutbeingremindedofsomethingelsealtogether.

• Mymother’sletterwaslonganddiscursive;ifshehadapoint,shenevergottoit.


1. dire a. renounce2. dirge b. causetoloseaffection3. disaffect c. perturb4. disarray d. frustrate5. disclaim e. disorder6. discomfit f. difference7. disconcert g. funeralsong8. discourse h. aimlesslyrambling9. discrepancy i. conversation10. discursive j. disastrous

DISGRUNTLE(disGRUNtul) v tomakesulkyanddissatisfied;todiscontent• Eileen had such a nasty disposition that she tended to disgruntle anyone whoworkedforher.

Theadjectivedisgruntledmeansdiscontentedordissatisfied.• ThechildrenweredisgruntledbythelumpsofcoalintheirChristmasstockings.• The rotten eggs onAlice’s doorstepwere placed there by adisgruntled formeremployee.

DISINFORMATION (dis in fer MAY shun) n false information purposelydisseminated,usuallybyagovernment,forthepurposeofcreatingafalseimpression

• TheCIA conducted adisinformation campaign inwhich it tried to persuade thepeopleofCubathatFidelCastrowasreallyawoman.

• The government hoped to weaken the revolutionary movement by leakingdisinformationaboutittothelocalpress.

DISMAL(DIZmul) adj dreary;causinggloom;causingdread• Theweather has beendismal ever since our vacation began; a cold wind hasbeenblowing,andithasrainedalmosteveryday.

• Thenewtelevisionshowreceiveddismalratingsandwascanceledbeforeitsthirdepisodehadaired.

• Theviewfromthetopofthehillwasdismal;everyhouseinthevalleyhadbeendestroyedbytheflood.

DISMAY(disMAY) v tofillwithdread;todiscouragegreatly;toperturb• The carnage in the field dismayed the soldiers, and they stood frozen in theirsteps.

• Peterdismayed his children by criticizing nearly everything they did and neverfindinganythingnicetosayabouttheirschoolwork.

• Thenewpoliceofficerhasadismayingtendencytohelphimselftothemoneyinthecashregistersofthestoresonhisbeat.

Asanoun,dismaymeansdread,anxiety,orsuddendisappointment.

DISPASSIONATE(disPASHuhnut) adj unaffectedbypassion;impartial;calmImpassioned (im PASH und) means passionate, emotional, all worked up. To bedispassionateistobecoolandobjective,tonotletjudgmentbeaffectedbyemotions.

• The prosecutor’s dispassionate enumeration of the defendant’s terrible crimeshadafarmoredevastatingeffectonthejurythanapassionate,highlyemotionalspeechwouldhavehad.

• Thejudgehadnointerest ineithersideof thedispute;shewasadispassionateobserver.

• Larry’sdispassionatemanneroftenfooledpeopleintothinkinghedidnotcare.Impassive (im PAS iv) is a related word that means revealing no emotions, orexpressionless.

Notecarefullythespellingandpronunciationofthesewords.

DISPERSE(disPURS) v toscatter;tospreadwidely;todisseminate• Thecrowddispersedafterthechiefofpoliceannouncedthathewouldorderhisofficerstoopenfireifeveryonedidn’tgohome.

• Engineersfromtheoilcompanytriedtousechemicalsolventstodispersetheoilslickformedwhenthetankerranagroundonthereefandsplitintwo.

• When the seed pod of a milkweed plant dries and breaks apart, the winddisperses the seeds inside, and new milkweed plants sprout all over thecountryside.

Anactofdispersingiscalleddispersion(disPURzhun).• Thefluffypartofamilkweedseedfacilitatesitsdispersionbythewind.

DISPIRIT(disPIRut) v todiscourage;todishearten;tolosespirit• Thecoach triednot to let the team’sone thousandthconsecutivedefeatdispirithim,butsomehowhecouldn’thelpbutfeeldiscouraged.

• Thecamperslookedtiredanddispirited;ithadrainedallnight,andtheirsleepingbagshadallwashedaway.

DISPOSITION(dispuhZISHun) n characteristicattitude;stateofmind; inclination;arrangement

• MaryLouhadalwayshadasweetdisposition;evenwhenshewasababy,shesmiledalmostconstantlyandnevercomplained.

• Mynaturaldisposition is toplaygolfall the timeandnotcareaboutanythingoranyoneelse.Iamdisposed(disPOHZD)toplaygolfallthetime.

• Theseeminglyrandomdispositionofbuildingsonthecampussuggestedthatnoonehadgivenmuchthoughttohowthecampusoughttobelaidout.

Predispositionisanattitudeorstateofmindbeforehand.• Theheavy-metalmusicofthewarm-upband,theSnakeheads,didnotfavorablypredisposetheaudiencetoenjoytheBarryManilowconcert.

DISPROPORTIONATE(dispruhPAWRshuhnut) adj outofproportion;toomuchortoolittle

• Jenn’sdivisionofthecandywasdisproportionate;shegaveherselfmorethanshegaveme.

• Mymotherseemedtobedevotingadisproportionateamountofherattention tomybrother,soIsatdowninthemiddleofthekitchenfloorandbegantoscreammyheadoff.

Theoppositeofdisproportionateisproportionate.

DISQUIET(disKWYEut) v tomakeuneasy• Themovie’sgraphicdepictionofchildbirthdisquietedthechildren,whohadbeenexpectingastoryaboutastork.

• Thesilence in theboss’sofficewasdisquieting;everyonewasafraid that itwasthecalmbeforethestorm.

Disquietcanalsobeusedasanounmeaninguneaseornervousness.



1. disgruntle a. scatter2. disinformation b. impartial3. dismal c. dreary4. dismay d. discourage5. dispassionate e. falseinformationpurposelydisseminated6. disperse f. characteristicattitude7. dispirit g. outofproportion8. disposition h. makesulky

9. disproportionate i. fillwithdread10. disquiet j. makeuneasy

DISSEMBLE(diSEMbul) v toconcealtherealnatureof;toactorspeakfalselyinordertodeceive

• Annesuccessfullydissembledherhatred forBeth; in fact,BethviewedAnneasherbestfriend.

• When asked by young children about Santa Claus, parents are allowed todissemble.

Todissembleisnotthesamethingastodisassemble,whichmeanstotakeapart.

Notecarefullythespelling,meaning,andpronunciationofthisword.

DISSENT(diSENT) v todisagree;towithholdapproval• Thechief justicedissented fromtheopinionsignedbytheother justices; in fact,hethoughttheiropinionwascrazy.

• JimandBobsayI’majerk;Idissent.Apersonwhodissentsisadissenter.

• Themeeting had lasted so long that when Imoved that it be adjourned, therewerenodissenters.

Dissentcanalsobeanoun.• The dissent of a single board member was enough to overturn any proposal;everyboardmemberhadabsolutevetopower.

Dissentisrelatedtothewordsconsentandassent(whichmeanagreement).

DISSERVICE(diSURvus) n aharmfulaction;anillturn• Inezdidadisservicetoherparentsbyinformingthepolicethattheyweregrowingmarijuanaintheirgarden.

• Thereviewerdidagravedisservicetotheauthorbyinaccuratelydescribingwhathisbookwasabout.


DISSIDENT(DISuhdunt) n apersonwhodisagreesordissents• TheoldSovietregimeusuallyrespondedtodissidentsbyimprisoningthem.• Theplan tobuildanuclearpowerplant in townwasput onholdbyagroupof

dissidentswholaydownintheroadinfrontofthebulldozers.Dissidentcanalsobeanadjective.Adissidentwriterisawriterwhoisadissident.

DISSUADE(diSWAYD) v topersuadenottoDissuadeistheoppositeofpersuade.

• The100degreeheatandthe100percentrelativehumiditydidnotdissuademefromplayingtennisallafternoon.

Dissuasion(diSWAYzhun)istheoppositeofpersuasion.• Gentledissuasion is usuallymore effective than hitting a person over the headwithatwo-by-four.

DISTINCT(diSTINKT) adj separate;different;clearandunmistakable• Theprofessorwasabletoidentifyelevendistinctspeciesofantsinthecornerofhisbackyard.

• Thetwinswereidentical,butthepersonalityofeachwasdistinctfromthatoftheother.

Tomake adistinction (di STINK shun) between two things is to notice whatmakeseach of them distinct from the other. A distinction can also be a distinguishingcharacteristic.

• Alan,Alex, andAlbert had thedistinction of being the only triplets in the entireschoolsystem.

Theoppositeofdistinctisindistinct.

DIURNAL(dyeURnul) adj occurringeveryday;occurringduringthedaytimeDiurnal is theoppositeofnocturnal.Anocturnalanimal isone that isactiveprimarilyduringthenight;adiurnalanimalisonethatisactiveprimarilyduringtheday.

• Therisingofthesunisadiurnaloccurrence;ithappenseveryday.

DIVINE(diVYNE) v tointuit;toprophesy• Iusedallofmybestmind-readingskills,but IcouldnotdivinewhatLesterwasthinking.

• Thelawfirmmadeagreatdealofmoneyhelpingitsclientsdivinethemeaningofobscurefederalregulations.

Theactofdiviningiscalleddivination.

Notecarefullytheusageofthisword.

DIVULGE (di VULJ) v to reveal, especially to reveal something that has been a

secret• Thesecretagenthad topromisenot todivulge the contents of thegovernmentfiles,but the information in the fileswasso fascinating thathe toldeveryoneheknew.

• Webeggedandpleaded,butwecouldn’tpersuadeLestertodivulgethesecretofhischocolate-chipcookies.

DOCUMENT(DOKyuhment) v tosupportwithevidence,especiallywrittenevidence• Arnold documented his record-breaking car trip around the world by taking aphotographofhimselfandhiscareveryhundredmiles.

• The scientist made a lot of headlines by announcing that he had been takenaboard a flying saucer, but he was unable to document his claim, and hiscolleaguesdidn’tbelievehim.

• The first documented use of the invention occurred in 1978, according to theencyclopedia.

Notecarefullytheusageofthisword.


1. dissemble a. disagree2. dissent b. supportwithevidence3. disservice c. concealtherealnatureof4. dissident d. reveal5. dissuade e. personwhodisagrees6. distinct f. intuit7. diurnal g. persuadenotto8. divine h. occurringeveryday9. divulge i. harmfulaction10. document j. separate

DOLDRUMS(DOHLdrumz) n lowspirits;astateofinactivityThiswordispluralinform,butittakesasingularverb.Inaddition,itisalmostalwaysprecededby“the.”Tosailors, thedoldrums isanoceanareanear theequatorwherethere is littlewind.Asailingship in thedoldrums is likely tobemovingslowlyornotmovingatall.

Totherestofus,thedoldrumsisastateofmindcomparabletothatfrustratinglycalmweatherneartheequator.

• Meredithhasbeeninthedoldrumseversinceherpetbeesflewaway;shemopesaroundthehouseandneverwantstodoanything.

DOLEFUL(DOHLful) adj sorrowful;filledwithgrief• A long,doleful procession followed the horse-drawn hearse as it wound slowlythroughthevillage.

• Aunt Gladys said she loved the pencil holder that her niece hadmade her forChristmas,butthedolefulexpressiononherfacetoldadifferentstory.

Anessentiallyinterchangeablewordisdolorous(DOHLurus).

DOLT(dohlt) n astupidperson;adunce• “Dolts and idiots,” saidMrs.Wierwhenher husbandaskedher to describehernewstudents.

Theadjectiveformofthiswordisdoltish.• Thefarmer’sdoltish(DOHLtish)sonrodethecowsandmilkedthehorses.

DOTAGE(DOHtij) n senility;foolishaffectionTodote(doht)onsomethingistobefoolishlyorexcessivelyaffectionatetowardit.Forsomereason,oldpeoplearethought tobeespeciallypronetodoingthis.That’swhydotagealmostalwaysappliestooldpeople.

• Mygrandmotherisinherdotage;shespendsalldayinbedwatchingsoapoperasandcombingthehaironanolddollshehadasalittlegirl.

Asenilepersonissometimescalledadotard(DOHturd).

DOUBLE ENTENDRE (DUH bul awn TAWN druh) n a word or phrase having adoublemeaning,especiallywhenthesecondmeaningisrisqué

• The class president’s speech was filled with double entendres that only thestudentsunderstood;theteacherswerelefttoscratchtheirheadsasthestudentsweredoubledoverwithlaughter.

NotecarefullythepronunciationofthisFrenchexpression.

DOUR(door) adj forbidding;severe;gloomy• TheLatin teacherwasadour oldmanwhonever hada kindword for anyone,eveninLatin.

• The police officer dourly insisted on giving me a traffic ticket, even though Ipromisedtorepairmyrearheadlight.

Thiswordcanalsobepronounced“dowr.”


DOWNCAST(DOWNkast) adj directeddownward;dejected• Thechildren’sdowncastfacesindicatedthattheyweresadthatSantaClaushadbroughtthemnothingforChristmas.

• Theentireaudienceseemeddowncastbytheendofthedepressingmovie.• Mysix-weekstrugglewiththefluhadleftmefeelingdowncastandweak.

DOWNPLAY(DOWNplay) v tominimize;torepresentasbeinginsignificant• The doctor had tried hard to downplay the risks involved in the operation, butHarryknewthathavinghiskidneyreplacedwasnotminorsurgery.

• TheparentstriedtodownplayChristmasbecausetheirdaughterwasveryyoungandtheydidn’twanthertobecomesoexcitedthatshewouldn’tbeabletosleep.

• Supermandownplayedhisroleinrescuingthechildren,buteveryoneknewwhathehaddone.

DRACONIAN(drayKOHneeun) adj harsh;severe;cruelThiswordisoftencapitalized.ItisderivedfromthenameofDraco,anAthenianofficialwhocreatedanotoriouslyharshcodeoflaws.Becauseofthishistory,thewordismostoftenusedtodescribelaws,rules,punishments,andsoforth.

• The judge was known for handing down draconian sentences; he had oncesentencedashopliftertolifeinprisonwithoutparole.

• Mrs.Jeffersonisadraconiangrader;herfavoritegradeisD,andshehasnevergivenanAinherentirelife.

DROLL(drohl) adj humorous;amusinginanodd,oftenunderstated,wayThiswordisslightlystilted,anditisnotaperfectsubstituteforfunnyineverysituation.TheThreeStooges,forexample,arenotdroll.

• Thechildrenentertained thedinnerguestswithadroll renditionof theirparents’styleofarguing.

• The speaker’s attempts to be droll were met with a chilly silence from theaudience.

ThiswordisusedfrequentlyinclassicEnglishliterature.Formorevocabularyderivedfromtheclassics,seeChapter7.

DROSS (drahs) n worthless stuff, especially worthless stuff arising from theproductionofvaluablestuffInmetalsmelting,thedross is thecrudfloatingontopof themetalonce it ismolten.

Outsideofthisprecisetechnicalmeaning,thewordisusedfigurativelytodescribeanycomparablyworthlessstuff.

• Hilary’snewnovelcontainsthreeorfourgoodparagraphs;therestisdross.• ThelivingroomwasfilledwiththedrossofChristmas:moundsofwrappingpaperandribbon,emptyboxes,andtoysthatnoonewouldeverplaywith.

DURESS(dooRES) n coercion;compulsionbyforceorthreatThiswordisoftenprecededbyunder.

• Mrs.Maloneywasunderduresswhensheboughthersonacandybar;thenastylittleboywasscreamingandcrying.

• Thecourtdeterminedthattheoldmanhadbeenunderduresswhenhesignedhisnewwill,inwhichheleftallhismoneytohislawyer;infact,thecourtdeterminedthatthelawyerhadheldaguntotheoldman’sheadwhilehesignedit.



1. doldrums a. forbidding2. doleful b. humorous3. dolt c. senility4. dotage d. doublemeaning5. doubleentendre e. stupidperson6. dour f. harsh7. downcast g. worthlessstuff8. downplay h. coercion9. draconian i. minimize10. droll j. sorrowful11. dross k. lowspirits12. duress l. dejected

EEBB(eb) v todiminish;torecedeEbbcomesfromanoldwordmeaninglowtide,anditisstillusedinthisway.Whenatideebbs,itpullsbackorgoesdown.Otherthingscanebb,too.

• My interest ebbed quickly when my date began to describe the joys of stampcollecting.

• Theteam’senthusiasmforthegameebbedastheotherteamranupthescore.Theoppositeofebbisfloodorflow.

• Ona typical tradingday, theDowJones IndustrialAverageebbsand flows inaseeminglyhaphazardway.

ECCLESIASTICAL(ikleezeeAStikul) adj havingtodowiththechurch• Thepriesthad fewecclesiastical dutiesbecausehehadneitherachurchnoracongregation.

• Thelargesteeplerisingfromtheroofgavethenewhouseanoddlyecclesiasticalfeel.

ECLIPSE(iKLIPS) v toblockthelightof;toovershadow;toreducethesignificanceof;tosurpassInaneclipseof themoon,thesun,earth,andmoonarearrangedinsuchawaythattheearthpreventsthelightofthesunfromfallingonthemoon.Inaneclipseofthesun,themoonpassesdirectlybetweentheearthandthesun,preventingthelightofthesunfromfallingontheearth.Inthefirstinstance,theearthissaidtoeclipsethemoon;inthesecondinstance,themoonissaidtoeclipsethesun.

Thiswordcanalsobeusedfiguratively.• Lois’sfameeclipsedthatofherbrother,Louis,whomadefewermoviesandwasaworseactor.

• The spelling team’s glorious victory in the state spelling championship waseclipsedbythearrestoftheircaptainonchargesofpossessingcocaine.

ECOSYSTEM (EK oh sis tum) n a community of organisms and the physicalenvironmentinwhichtheyliveEcology isthescienceoftherelationshipsbetweenorganismsandtheirenvironment.Theadjectiveisecological(EKuhlahjikul).

• Thebigmuddyswampisacomplexecosysteminwhichthefateofeachspeciesisinextricablylinkedwiththefateofmanyothers.

Notecarefullythevariouspronunciationsofthesewords(thefirstsyllablecanalsobepronouncedas“eek”insteadof“ek”).

EDICT(EEdikt) n anofficialdecree• Thenewkingcelebratedhisrisetopowerbyissuinghundredsofedictsgoverningeverythingfromcurbsideparkingtothewearingofhats.

• Bypresidentialedict,allgovernmentofficeswereclosedfortheholiday.

EDIFICE(EDuhfis) n abig,imposingbuilding• Mr.andMrs.Stevenshadoriginallyintendedtobuildacomfortablelittlecottageinwhichtospendtheirgoldenyears,butonethingledtoanotherandtheyendedupbuildingasprawlingedificethatdwarfedallotherstructuresinthearea.

Anarchitectwhodesignsmassiveorgrandiosebuildingsissometimessaidtohavean“edificecomplex.”Getit?

EFFECTUAL(iFEKchooul) adj effective;adequate• Polly isaneffectual teacher,but she isnotamasterfulone;herstudentscomeawayfromherclasswithasolidunderstandingofthesubjectbutwithlittleelse.

• Evenwithallheryearsofexperience,Mrs.Joneshadnotyethitonaneffectualmethodofgettingherchildrentogotobed.

Somethingthatisnoteffectualisineffectual(INifekchooul).• Theplumbertriedseveraltechniquesforstoppingaleak,allofthemineffectual.

EFFICACY(EFikuhsee) n effectiveness• Federal law requires manufacturers to demonstrate both the safety and theefficacy of new drugs. The manufacturers must prove that the new drugs areefficacious(efiKAYshus).

EFFIGY (EF uh jee) n a likeness of someone, especially one used in expressinghatredforthepersonofwhomitisalikeness

• Thecompany’s founderhadbeendead formany years, but theemployees stillpassed under his gaze because his effigy had been carved in the side of thebuilding.

• The members of the senior class hanged the principal in effigy; they made adummyoutofsomeoldburlapbagsandstrungitupinthetreebesidetheparkinglot.

Thiswordisoftenheardintheclichédphraseburnedaneffigy,asin,“Thechiefofstaffwas so unpopular that White House staffers openly burned an effigy of him at theholidayparty.”

ELATION(iLAYshun) n afeelingofgreatjoy• A tide ofelation swept over the crowd as the clock ticked down to zero and itbecameclearthatthecollege’steamreallyhadmadeittothequarterfinalsofthecountywidetiddlywinkscompetition.

• Harry’s brother’s elation at having defeated him in the golf match was almostmorethanHarrycouldbear.

Tofeelelationistobeelated.Tocausetofeelelatedistoelate.• AfterrowingacrossthePacificOcean inabathtub, I feltpositivelyelated; Ialsofeltalittletired.


1. ebb a. officialdecree2. ecclesiastical b. feelingofgreatjoy3. eclipse c. havingtodowiththechurch4. ecosystem d. big,imposingbuilding5. edict e. likenessofsomeone6. edifice f. surpass7. effectual g. effective8. efficacy h. effectiveness9. effigy i. diminish10. elation j. organismsandtheirenvironment

ELECTORATE(iLEKtuhrut) n thebodyofpeopleentitledtovoteinanelection;thevoters

• Inordertobeelected,acandidateusuallyhastomakealotofwild,irresponsiblepromisestotheelectorate.

• The losing candidate attributed her loss not to any fault in herself but to theficklenessoftheelectorate.

Theadjectiveiselectoral(iLEKtuhrul).


ELEGY(ELuhjee) n amournfulpoemorotherpieceofwriting;amournfulpieceofmusic

• Most critics agreed thatStan’s best poemwas anelegy hewrote following thedeathofhispetpigeon.

• My new book is an elegy to the good old days—the days before everythingbecamesoterrible.

Anelegyiselegiac(eliJYEuk).• The little article in thenewspaperaboutFrank’s retirementhadanelegiac tonethatFrankfounddisconcerting.

ELITE(iLEET) n thebestormostselectgroup• Alison is amember of bowling’selite; she bowls like a championwith both herrighthandandherleft.

• Ascaptainofthefootballteam,Bobbywaspartofthehighschool’selite,andheneverletyouforgetit.

Thiswordcanalsobeanadjective.• Thepresidentialpalacewasdefendedbyanelitecorpsofsoldiersknown tobeloyaltothepresident.

Tobeanelitist(iLEETust)istobeasnob;tobeelitististobesnobby.

ELOCUTION(eluhKYOOshun) n theartofpublicspeaking• Themayorwaslongonelocutionbutshortonexecution;hewasbetteratmakingpromisesthanatcarryingthemout.

• ProfessorJeffersonmighthavebecomepresidentoftheuniversityifhehadhadevenrudimentaryskillsofelocution.

• Inelocutionclass,FatherFicks learnednot toyell, “SHADUPP!”whenheheardwhisperinginthecongregation.

Alocution(lohKYOOshun)isaparticularwordorphrase.Someonewhospeakswelliseloquent(ELuhkwent).

EMACIATE(iMAYsheeayt) v tomakeextremelythinthroughstarvationorillness• AdozenyearsinaforeignprisonhademaciatedpooroldGeorge,whohadonceweighedmorethanthreehundredpoundsbutnowweighedlessthanninety.

Theactofemaciatingiscalledemaciation(imaysheeAYshun).• Thesaddestthingtoseeintherefugeecampwastheemaciationofthechildren,someofwhomhadnothadarealmealinmanyweeks.


EMANATE(EMuhnayt) v tocomeforth;toissue

• Contradictory orders emanated from many offices in the government building,leavingthedistinctimpressionthatnoonewasincharge.

• Thedreadfulsoundemanatingfromthehouseupthestreetturnedouttobenotthat of a cat being strangledbut that of a violin beingplayedby someonewhodidn’tknowhowtoplayit.

Somethingthatemanatesisanemanation(emuhNAYshun).• The mystic claimed to be receiving mental emanations from the ghost ofAlexander’slong-deadaunt.

EMANCIPATE(iMANsuhpayt) v toliberate;tofreefrombondageorrestraint• Refrigerators,microwave ovens, and automatic dishwashers haveemancipatedmodernhomemakersfrommuchofthedrudgeryofmealpreparationandcleanup.

• Mypersonalcomputerhasemancipatedmefrommyoffice;Iamnowabletoworkoutofmyhome.

Thenounisemancipation(imansuhPAYshun).• President Lincoln announced that he had emancipated the slaves in hisEmancipationProclamation.

EMBARGO (em BAHR goh) n a government order suspending foreign trade; agovernmentordersuspendingthemovementoffreight-carryingshipsinandoutofthecountry’sports

• For many years, there has been an embargo in the United States on cigarsproducedinCuba.

• Jerry imposedahouseholdembargoonrentedmovies; for thenextsixmonths,hesaid,norentedmovieswouldbeallowedinthehouse.

Foranearsynonym,seeourseconddefinitionofsanction.

EMBELLISH (im BEL ish) v to adorn; to beautify by adding ornaments; to addfancifulorfictitiousdetailstoAbelleisabeautifulyoungwoman.Toembellishistomakebeautifulortoadorn.Notethatthewordcanhavenegativeconnotations,aswhenapersonaddsfalsefactstoastory.

• Cynthiaembellishedherplainwhiteweddinggownbygluingzirconiumcrystalstoit.

• Hugh could never leave well enough alone; when he told a story, he liked toembellishitwithfactsthathehadmadeup.

• Edwardwasguiltyofembellishinghisrésumébyaddingacollegedegreethathehadnotearnedandagreatdealofjobexperiencethathehadnothad.

EMBODY(emBAHdee) v topersonify;togivephysicalformto

• KindlyoldMr.Bensonperfectlyembodiedthelovingphilosophythathetaught.• Themembersof theclubwereabunchofscoundrelswhocamenowherenearembodyingtheprinciplesuponwhichtheirclubhadbeenfounded.

Thenounisembodiment.


1. electorate a. artofpublicspeaking2. elegy b. bodyofvoters3. elite c. governmentordersuspendingtrade4. elocution d. adorn5. emaciate e. personify6. emanate f. mournfulpoem7. emancipate g. liberate8. embargo h. mostselectgroup9. embellish i. makeextremelythin10. embody j. comeforth

EMBROIL(imBROYL) v toinvolveinconflict;tothrowintodisorder• For the last twenty years,Mr. andMrs. Brown have been embroiled in a legalbattlewiththecityoverthecamelsintheirbackyard.

• Fightingandshoutingembroiledtheclassroom,leadingtheteachertowalkoutoftheroom.

Animbroglio(imBROHLyoh)isaconfused,difficult,orembarrassingsituation.

EMBRYONIC(embreeAHNik) adj undeveloped;rudimentaryAnembryo(EMbreeoh)isanyunbornanimalorunformedplantthatisintheearlieststages of development. Embryonic can be used to describe such an undevelopedorganism,butitalsohasabroadermeaning.

• Theplansforthenewbuildingareprettyembryonicatthispoint;theyconsistofasinglesketchonthebackofacocktailnapkin.

• Our fund-raising campaign has passed the embryonic stage, but it still hasn’tofficiallygottenunderway.

EMISSARY (EM uh ser ee) n a messenger or representative sent to representanother

Toemitistosendout.Anemissionissomethingsentout.Anemissaryisapersonsentoutasamessengerorrepresentative.

• Thekingwasunabletoattendthewedding,buthesentanemissary:hisbrother.• Thesurrenderofthedefeatedcountrywasnegotiatedbyemissariesfromthetwowarringsides.

• Thecompany’spresidentcouldn’tstandtofireanemployeetwodaysbeforehispensionwouldhavetakeneffect,sohesentanemissarytodoitinstead.

EMPATHY(EMpuhthee) n identificationwiththefeelingsorthoughtsofanother• ShannonfeltagreatdealofempathyforBill’ssuffering;sheknewjusthowhefelt.

Tofeelempathyistoempathize(EMpuhthyze),ortobeempathic(emPATHik).• Samuel’stendencytoempathizewithcreepsmayarisefromthefactthatSamuelhimselfisacreep.

This word is sometimes confused with sympathy, which is compassion or sharedfeeling,andapathy(APuhthee),whichmeansindifferenceorlackoffeeling.Empathygoes a bit further thansympathy; bothwordsmean that you understand someone’spainorsorrow,butempathyindicatesthatyoualsofeelthepainyourself.

EMPOWER(imPOWur) v togivepowerorauthorityto;toenable• Thecitycouncilempoweredthedogcatchertodowhateverhewantedtowiththedogshecaught.

• Inseveralstates,legislatureshaveempowerednotariestoperformmarriages.• Thesheriffformedaposseandempoweredittoarrestthefugitive.

ENDEAR(inDEER) v tomakedear;tomakebeloved• Mervendearedhimself toOprahbysendingherabigboxofchocolatesonherbirthday.

• Ididnotendearmyself tomyteacherwhenIput thumbtacksontheseatofherchair.

• Edgar has the endearing (in DEER ing) habit of giving hundred-dollar bills topeoplehemeets.

Anendearment(inDEERmunt)isanexpressionofaffection.• “My littlepumpkin” is theendearmentArnoldSchwarzenegger’smotheruses forherlittleboy.

ENGAGING(inGAYjing) adj charming;pleasing;attractive• Susan was an engaging dinner companion; she was lively, funny, and utterlycharming.

• ThebookIwasreadingwasn’tterriblyengaging;infact,itwasoneofthosebooks

thatishardtopickup.

ENMITY(ENmuhtee) n deephatred;animosity;illwillEnmity iswhatenemies feel towardeachother. If thisword remindsyouof thewordenemy,youhaveabuilt-inmnemonic.

• TheenmitybetweenGeorgeandEdwassostrongthatthetwoofthemcouldnotbeinaroomtogether.

• Therewaslong-standingenmitybetweenstudentsatthecollegeandresidentsofthetown.


ENNUI(AHNwee) n boredom;listlesslackofinterestEnnui is theFrenchword forboredom.StudyingFrenchvocabularywords fills somepeoplewithennui.

• ThechildrenwereexcitedtoopentheirChristmaspresents,butwithinafewhoursanairofennuihadsettledonthehouse,andthechildrenweresprawledonthelivingroomfloor,wishingvaguelythattheyhadsomethinginterestingtodo.

• Theplaywright’sonlyrealtalentwasforengenderingennuiintheaudiencesofhisplays.


ENSUE(inSOO) v tofollowimmediatelyafterward;toresult• JanetcalledDebbiealiar,andascreamingfightensued.• ItriedtotalkmyprofessorintochangingmyDintoanA,butnothingensuedfromourconversation.


1. embroil a. charming2. embryonic b. messengerorrepresentative3. emissary c. makedear4. empathy d. involveinconflict5. empower e. identificationwithfeelings6. endear f. boredom7. engaging g. undeveloped

8. enmity h. giveauthority9. ennui i. followimmediatelyafterward10. ensue j. deephatred

ENTAIL(inTAYL) v tohaveasanecessaryconsequence;toinvolve• Painting turned out to entail a lot more work than I had originally thought; Idiscovered that youcan’t simply takeagallonofpaintandheave it against thesideofyourhouse.

• Peterwasgladtohavetheprizemoney,butwinningithadentailedsomuchworkthathewasn’tsurethewholethinghadbeenworthit.

• Mr.Eaneshiredmesoquicklythat Ihadn’treallyhadachancetofindoutwhatthejobwouldentail.

ENTITY(ENtuhtee) n somethingthatexists;adistinctthing• Theairforceofficerfoundanentityinthecockpitofthecrashedspacecraft,buthehadnoideawhatitwas.

• The identity card had been issued by a bureaucraticentity called theOffice ofIdentification.

• Marksetuphisnewcompanyasaseparateentity;ithadnoconnectionwithhisoldcompany.

Theoppositeofanentityisanonentity.

ENTREAT(inTREET) v toaskearnestly;tobeg;toplead• Thefrogentreated thewizardtoturnhimbackintoaprince,butthewizardsaidthathewouldhavetoremainafrogalittlebitlonger.

• Mynephewentreatedmeformoneyformostofayear,andintheendIgavehimafewhundreddollars.

Aninstanceofentreatingiscalledanentreaty(inTREEtee).• Mymotherwasdeaftomyentreaties;shemademeattendmycousin’sweddingeventhoughIrepeatedlybeggedhernotto.

ENTREPRENEUR (ahn truhpruhNOOR) n an independent business person; onewho starts, runs, and assumes the risk of operating an independent businessenterprise

• Owen left his job at Apple to become an entrepreneur; he started his owncomputercompanytomakespecializedcomputersforbookies.

• Amajorityofbeginningbusinessschoolstudentssaytheywould liketobecomeentrepreneurs, butmostof themendup takinghigh-paying jobswith consulting

firmsorinvestmentbanks.Anentrepreneurisentrepreneurial(ahntruhpruhNOOReeul).

• Hectorstartedhisownjewelrybusiness,buthehadsolittleentrepreneurialabilitythathesoonwasbankrupt.


ENUMERATE(iNOOmuhrayt) v tonameonebyone;tolist• When IaskedBeverlywhatshedidn’t likeaboutme,sheenumeratedsomanyflawsthatIeventuallyhadtoaskhertostop.

• After the doctor from the public health department had enumerated all thedreadfulsoundingdiseasesthatwererampantinthewaterpark,IdecidedIdidn’twanttovisititafterall.

Thingstoonumeroustobelistedonebyoneareinnumerable(iNOOmuhruhbul).

ENVISION(inVIZHun) v toimagine;toforesee• Perry’s teachersenvisioned great things for him, so theywere a little surprisedwhenhedecidedtobecomeaprofessionalgambler.

Thiswordisdifferentfrom,butmeansprettymuchexactlythesamething,asenvisage(enVIZ ij).The twocanbeused interchangeably,althoughenvisage isperhapsabitmorestilted.

EPICURE(EPikyoor) n apersonwithrefinedtasteinwineandfoodEpicuruswasaGreekphilosopherof the4thcenturyB.C.whobelieved thatpleasure(ratherthan,say,truthorbeauty)wasthehighestgood.ThephilosophicalsystemhedevisedisknownasEpicureanism.AteenyshadowofEpicurusisretainedinourwordepicure, since an epicure is someone who takes an almost philosophical sort ofpleasurefromfinefoodanddrink.

• Anndreaded the thoughtof cooking forWilliam,whowasawell-knownepicureandwouldundoubtedlybehardtoplease.

Theadjectiveisepicurean(epiKYOOReeun).

EPILOGUE(EPuhlog) n anafterword;ashortconcludingchapterofabook;ashortspeechattheendofaplayIn the theater, an epilogue is a short speech, sometimes in verse, that is spokendirectly to the audience at the end of a play. In classical drama, the character whomakesthisconcludingspeechiscalledEpilogue.Likewise,aprologue(PROHlog)isashort speech, sometimes in verse, that is spoken directly to the audience at thebeginningofaplay.Aprologuesetsup theplay;anepiloguesums itup.Epilogue is

also(andmorecommonly)usedoutsidethetheater.• Inabriefepilogue,theauthordescribedwhathadhappenedtoallthebook’smaincharactersinthemonthssincethestoryhadtakenplace.

EPOCH(EPuk) n anera;adistinctiveperiodoftimeDon’tconfuseepochwithepic,whichisalongpoemorstory.

• Thecoach’s retirementendedagloriousepoch in thehistoryof theuniversity’sfootballteam.

Theadjectiveisepochal(EPuhkul).Anepochaleventisanextremelyimportantone—thesortofsignificanteventthatmightdefineanepoch.

• TheBritishOpenendedwithanepochalconfrontationbetweenJackNicklausandTomWatson,thetwobestgolfersintheworldatthattime.


EQUESTRIAN(iKWEStreeun) adj havingtodowithhorsebackridingEquus, a famous play by Peter Shaffer, portrays a troubled stable boy and hisrelationshipwithhorses.Equine(EEkwyne)meanshorselikeorrelatingtohorses.

• I’veneverenjoyedtheequestrianeventsintheOlympicsbecauseIthinkpeoplelooksillysittingonthebacksofhorses.

• Billywasverysmallbuthehadnoequestrianskills,sohedidn’tmakemuchofajockey.

Equestriancanalsobeusedasanounmeaningonewhoridesonhorseback.



1. entail a. havingtodowithhorsebackriding2. entity b. era3. entreat c. independentbusinessperson4. entrepreneur d. imagine5. enumerate e. somethingthatexists6. envision f. personwithrefinedtaste7. epicure g. plead8. epilogue h. afterword

9. epoch i. haveasanecessaryconsequence10. equestrian j. nameonebyone

ESTIMABLE(EStuhmuhbul) adj worthyofadmiration;capableofbeingestimated• The prosecutor was an estimable opponent, but Perry Mason always won hiscases.

• Heswallowedahundredgoldfish,ateahundredhotdogsinanhour,anddrankadozenbeers,amongotherestimableachievements.

• The distance to the green was not estimable from where the golfers stoodbecausetheycouldnotseetheflag.

Somethingthatcannotbeestimatedisinestimable(inEStuhmuhbul).• The precise age of the dead man was inestimable because the corpse hadthoroughlydecomposed.

Notecarefullythepronunciationandmeaningofthesewords.

ESTRANGE(iSTRAYNJ) v tomakeunfriendlyorhostile;tocausetofeelremovedfrom

• Tereza’sestrangedhusbandhadbeenmakingunkindcommentsabouthereversincethecouplehadseparated.

• Isaachadexpectedtoenjoyhistwenty-fifthreunion,butoncetherehefoundthathefeltoddlyestrangedfromhisolduniversity;hejustdidn’tfeelthathewasapartofitanymore.

ETHICS(ETHiks) adj moralstandardsgoverningbehavior• Irenedidn’tthinkmuchoftheethicsofmostpoliticians;shefiguredtheywerealltakingbribes.

• The dentist’s habit of stealing the gold dentalwork of his patients was widelyconsideredtobeagrossviolationofdentalethics.

Tohavegoodethicsistobeethical(ETHikul).Stealinggolddentalworkisnotethicalbehavior.Itisunethical(unETHikul)behavior.

EULOGY(YOOluhjee) n aspokenorwrittentributetoaperson,especiallyapersonwhohasjustdied

• TheeulogyMichaeldeliveredathisfather’sfuneralwassomovingthatitbroughttearstotheeyesofeveryonepresent.

• Mildred was made distinctly uncomfortable by Merle’s eulogy; she didn’tappreciateMerlepointingoutherlatefather’sflaws.

To give a eulogy about someone is to eulogize (YOO luh jyze) that person. Don’tconfuse this word with elegy, which means a mournful song or poem. For a closesynonymtoeulogy,seeourentryforpanegyric.

EVINCE(iVINS) v todemonstrateconvincingly;toprove• Oscar’s acceptance speech at the awards ceremony evinced an almostunbearabledegreeofsmugnessandself-regard.

• The soldiers evinced great courage, but their mission was hopeless, and theywererapidlydefeated.

EVOKE(iVOHK) v tosummonforth;todrawforth;toawaken;toproduceorsuggest• The car tripwith our childrenevokedmanymemories of similar car trips I hadtakenwithmyownparentswhenIwasachild.

• Professor Herman tried repeatedly but was unable to evoke any but the mostmeagerresponsefromhisstudents.

• Paula’sChristmasphotographsevokedboththemagicandthecrassnessof theholiday.

Theactofevokingiscalledevocation(evohKAYshun).Avisittothehouseinwhichone grew up often leads to the evocation of old memories. Something that evokessomethingelseissaidtobeevocative(iVAHKuhtiv).

• Theoldnovelwashighlyevocativeofitsera;whenyoureadit,youfeltasthoughyouhadbeentransportedahundredyearsintothepast.

Don’tconfusethiswordwithinvoke,whichislistedseparately.

EXCISE(ekSYZE) v toremovebycutting,orasifbycutting• Tevy’s editor at the publishing houseexcised all of the obscene parts from hisnovel,leavingitjustelevenpageslong.

• ThesurgeonusedalittlepairofsnipperstoexciseAlice’sextrafingers.Thenounformofthewordisexcision.

• Theexcision(ekSIZHun)ofDirk’slungslefthimextremelyshortofbreath.

EXEMPT(igZEMPT) adj excused;notsubjectto• Certainkindsofnonprofitorganizationsareexemptfromtaxation.• Davidwasexemptfromjurydutybecausehewasself-employed.

Exemptcanalsobeaverb.Toexemptsomethingorsomeoneistomakeitexempt.• Doug’sflatfeetandlegalblindnessexemptedhimfrommilitaryservice.

Exemption (ig ZEMP shun) is the state of beingexempt. Anexemption is an act ofexempting.

EXHUME(igZOOM) v tounbury;todigoutoftheground• Grave robbers once exhumed freshly buried bodies in order to sell them tophysiciansandmedicalstudents.

• ResearchersexhumedthebodyofPresidentGarfieldtodeterminewhetherornothehadbeenpoisonedtodeath.

• Whileworkinginhisgarden,Wallaceexhumedanoldchestfilledwithgoldcoinsandothertreasure.

Seeourlistingforposthumous,arelatedword.

EXODUS(EKsuhdus) n amassdepartureorjourneyawayExodusisthesecondbookoftheBible.ItcontainsanaccountoftheExodus,theflightofMosesandtheIsraelitesfromEgypt.WhenthewordreferstoeitherthebookoftheBibleortheflightofMoses, it iscapitalized.Whenthewordreferstoanyothermassdeparture,itisnot.

• Theodore’sboringslideshowprovokedanimmediateexodusfromtheauditorium.• Cityplannerswereatalosstoexplaintherecentexodusofsmallbusinessesfromtheheartofthecity.



1. estimable a. summonforth2. estrange b. removebycutting3. ethics c. excused4. eulogy d. spokenorwrittentribute5. evince e. unbury6. evoke f. massdeparture7. excise g. demonstrateconvincingly8. exempt h. moralstandards9. exhume i. makehostile10. exodus j. worthyofadmiratione

EXORBITANT(igZAWRbuhtunt) adj excessivelycostly;excessiveThiswordliterallymeansoutoforbit.Pricesareexorbitantwhentheygetsky-high.

• Meals at the new restaurant were exorbitant; a garden salad cost seventy-fivedollars.

• The better business bureau cited the discount electronic store for putting anexorbitantmark-uponthenewsmartphones.

• Theauthorwasexorbitantinhisuseofbigwords;nearlyeverypageinthebooksentmetothedictionary.

EXPIATE(EKspeeayt) v tomakeamendsfor;toatonefor• Theconvictedmurdererattemptedtoexpiatehiscrimebymakingpotholdersforthefamilyofhisvictim.

Theactofexpiatingisexpiation(ekspeeAYshun).• Wendell performed many hours of community service in expiation of what hebelievedtobehissinsasacorporatelawyer.

EXPLICATE(EKsplikayt) v tomakeadetailedexplanationofthemeaningof• The professor’s attempt to explicate the ancient text left his students moreconfusedthantheyhadbeenbeforetheclassbegan.

Theactofexplicatingisexplication(ekspliKAYshun).• Explication of difficult poems was one of the principal activities in the Englishclass.

Somethingthatcannotbeexplainedisinexplicable.

EXPOSITION(ekspuhZISHun) n explanation;alargepublicexhibition• Themasterplumber’sexposition ofmodernplumbing techniquewasso rivetingthatmanyoftheyoungapprenticeplumbersintheaudienceforgottotakenotes.

• Charlie was overwhelmed by the new fishing equipment he saw displayed anddemonstratedattheinternationalfishingexposition.

Toexpoundistogiveanexposition.Theadjectiveisexpository(ekSPAHZitawree).

EXPOSTULATE(ikSPAHSchulayt) v toreasonwithsomeoneinordertowarnordissuade

• WhenItoldmymotherthatIwasgoingtoliveinabarrelonthebottomofthesea,sheexpostulatedatgreatlength,hopingshecouldpersuademetostayathome.

EXPUNGE(ikSPUNJ) v toerase;toeliminateanytraceof• Vernon’s conviction for shopliftingwasexpunged fromhis criminal recordwhenlightningstruckthepolicecomputer.

• TheblowtoWyman’sheadexpungedhismemoryofwhohewasandwherehehadcomefrom.

• It took Zelda five years and several lawsuits toexpunge the unfavorable ratingfromhercreditreport.

EXQUISITE(EKSkwizit) adj extraordinarilyfineorbeautiful;intense• Whilewehadcocktailson theporch,wewatchedanexquisitesunset that filledtheentireskywithvividorangesandreds.

• Theweatherwasexquisite;thesunwasshiningandthebreezewascool.• Pouring theurnofhotcoffeedown the frontofhisshirt leftChester inexquisiteagony.


EXTANT(EKstunt) adj stillinexistence• Paul roundedupallextant copiesofhisembarrassing firstnovelandhad themdestroyed.

• Somanycopiesofthelithographwereextantthatnoneofthemhadmuchvalue.

EXTORT(ikSTAWRT) v toobtainthroughforce,threat,orillicitmeansTheroot“tort”meanstotwist.Toextortistotwistsomeone’sarmtogetsomething.

• JosieextortedanAfromherteacherbythreateningtorevealpubliclythathegavealltheathletesAsontheirfinalexams.

Theactofextortingisextortion(ikSTAWRshun).• Joe’s conviction forextortion was viewed as an impressive qualification by themobstersforwhomhenowworked.

Seeourlistingfortortuous.

EXTREMITY(ikSTREMuhtee) n theoutermostpointoredge;thegreatestdegree;gravedanger;alimborappendageofthebody

• Theexplorerstraveledtotheextremityoftheglacierandthenfelloff.• Evenintheextremityofhisdespair,heneverlosthislovefortennis.• Ruthwasatherbestinextremity;greatdangerawakenedallherbestinstincts.• Duringextremelycoldweather,bloodleavestheextremities toretainheat inthevitalorgans.

EXUBERANT(igZOObuhrunt) adj highlyjoyousorenthusiastic;overflowing;lavish• Thechildren’sexuberantwelcomebroughttearsofjoytotheeyesofthegrumpyvisitor.

• Quentinwasnearlyahundredyearsold,buthewasstill inexuberanthealth;hewalkedtwelvemileseverymorningandliftedweightseveryevening.

• TheflowersinMary’sgardenwereexuberantly(igZOObuhruntlee)colorful;heryardcontainedmorebrightcolorsthanaboxofcrayons.

Exuberance(igZOObuhruns)isthestateofbeingexuberant.• Theexuberanceofheryoungstudentswaslikeatonictothejadedoldteacher.


1. exorbitant a. excessivelycostly2. expiate b. highlyjoyous3. explicate c. makeamendsfor4. exposition d. outermostpoint5. expostulate e. makeadetailedexplanationof6. expunge f. obtainthroughforce7. exquisite g. explanation8. extant h. stillinexistence9. extort i. reasoninordertodissuade10. extremity j. extraordinarilyfine11. exuberant k. erase

FFACADE(fuhSAHD) n thefrontofabuilding;thefalsefrontofabuilding;thefalsefrontormisleadingappearanceofanything

• The building’s facade was coveredwith somany intricate carvings that visitorsoftenhadtroublefindingthefrontdoor.

• Whatappearedtobeabankattheendofthestreetwasreallyaplywoodfacadethathadbeenerectedasasetforthemotionpicture.

• Gretchen’skindnessisjustafacade;sheisreallyahostile,schemingbully.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword,whichissometimeswrittenfaçade.

FACET(FASit) n anyoftheflat,polishedsurfacesofacutgem;aspect• Karenlovedtoadmirethetinyreflectionsofherfaceinthefacetsofthediamondsinherengagementring.

• ThetwomostimportantfacetsofDan’spersonalitywerenicenessandmeanness.Anythingthathasmanyfacetscanbesaidtobemultifaceted(multeeFASitud).

• Lonnieisamultifacetedperformer;shecantelljokes,singsongs,jugglebowlingpins,anddance.

FALLACY(FALuhsee) n afalsenotionorbelief;amisconception• Peter clung to the fallacy that he was a brilliant writer, despite the fact thateverythinghehadeverwrittenhadbeenrejectedbyeverypublishertowhomhehadsentit.

• That electricity is a liquid was but one of the many fallacies spread by theincompetentscienceteacher.

Theadjectiveisfallacious(fuhLAYshus).

FATHOM(FATHum) v tounderstand;topenetratethemeaningofAt sea, a fathom is a measure of depth equal to six feet. Fathoming, at sea, ismeasuringthedepthofthewater,usuallybydroppingaweightedlineoverthesideofaboat.Onland,tofathomistodotheroughfigurativeequivalentofmeasuringthedepthofwater.

• Isatthroughtheentirephysicslecture,butIcouldn’tevenbeginto fathomwhattheprofessorwastalkingabout.

• Arthurhidhisemotionsbehindablankexpressionthatwasimpossibletofathom.

FAUX(foh) adj falseFauxmarbleiswoodpaintedtolooklikemarble.Afauxpas (fohpah) literallymeansfalsestep,butisusedtomeananembarrassingsocialmistake.

• Susannah’snecklace ismadeof fauxpearls,as themugger foundoutwhenhegottothepawnshop.

• Attheroyalbanquet,Derikcommittedtheminorfauxpasofeatingsaladwiththewrongfork.

NotecarefullythepronunciationofthisFrenchword.

FAWN (fawn) v to exhibit affection; to seek favor through flattery; to kiss up tosomeone

• Theoldwomenfawnedoverthenewbaby,pinchingitscheeksandmakinglittlegurglingsounds.

• Thekingcouldnotseethroughthefawningofhiscourt;hethoughtallthecountsanddukesreallylikedhim.

FEIGN(fayn) v tomakeafalserepresentationof;topretend• Ikefeignedillnessatworkinordertospendthedayatthecircus.• ThechildrenfeignedsleepinthehopeofcatchingaglimpseofSantaClaus.• Agony of the sort that Frances exhibited cannot be feigned; she had obviouslybeengenuinelyhurt.

A feigningmotion, gesture, or action is a feint (faynt), which can also be used as averb.

• The boxer feinted with his right hand and then knocked out his distractedopponentwithhisleft.

FESTER (FES tur) v to generate pus; to decay; to cause increasing irritation orbitterness

• Mr. Baker had allowed the wound on his arm to fester for so long that it nowrequiredsurgery.

• Formanyyears, resentmenthad festeredbeneath thesurfaceof theapparentlyhappyorganization.

FETISH(FETish) n anobjectofobsessivereverence,attention,orinterest• Jeffhadmadeafetishofhisgarage;heevenwaxedtheconcretefloor.• ClownshoeswereHarriet’sfetish;whenevershesawapair,shehadtobuyit.

Thoughmanypeopleassociatethewordfetishwithanobjectofsexualdesire(andthatisonedefinition),theoriginalmeaningisactuallyareligiousone.Afetishwasanobject

thatwasworshippedbecause itwasbelieved to havemagical powersorbecause itwasbelievedtobetheincarnationofaparticularspirit,similartoanidol.

FIASCO(feeASkoh) n acompletefailureordisaster;anincrediblescrewup• Thetagsalewasa fiasco; itpoureddownrainallmorning,andnobodyshowedup.

• Thebirthdaypartyturnedintoafiascowhenthecandlesonthecakeexploded.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword.Thepluralisfiascoes.

FIAT(FYEut) n anarbitrarydecreeororder• Thevalueof thecountry’scurrencywassetnotby themarketbutbyexecutivefiat.

• The president of the company ruled by fiat; there was no such thing as adiscussionofpolicy,anddisagreementswerenotallowed.

Thiswordcanalsobepronounced“FEEut.”


FICKLE(FIKul) adj likelytochangefornogoodreason• Catsarefickle:Onedaytheyloveyou;thenextdaytheyhissatyou.• Theweatherhadbeenfickleallday:Onemomentthesunwasshining;thenextitwaspouringdownrain.

• TheTaylorswereso fickle that theirarchitect finally told themhewouldquit thejobiftheymadeanymorechangesintheplansfortheirnewhouse.


1. facade a. objectofobsessivereverence2. facet b. exhibitaffection3. fallacy c. completefailure4. fathom d. makeafalserepresentationof5. faux e. frontofabuilding6. fawn f. decay7. feign g. arbitrarydecree8. fester h. misconception

9. fetish i. penetratethemeaningof10. fiasco j. likelytochangefornogoodreason11. fiat k. aspect12. fickle l. false

FIGMENT(FIGmunt) n somethingmadeuporinvented;afabrication• The three-year-old toldhismother therewereskeletonsunderhisbed,but theyturnedouttobejustafigmentofhisoveractiveimagination.

• TheseFrench-speakinghummingbirdsinsidemyhead—aretheyreal,oraretheyafigment?

FISCAL(FISkul) adj pertainingtofinancialmatters;monetary• Havingnosenseof fiscal responsibility, hewashappy towastehis salaryonalife-sizeplasticflamingowithdiamondeyes.

• Afiscalyearisanytwelve-monthperiodestablishedforaccountingpurposes.• ScroogeEnterprisesbeginsitsfiscalyearonDecember25tomakesurethatnoonetakesChristmasDayoff.

FLEDGLING(FLEJling) adj inexperiencedorimmature• Afledglingbirdisonestilltooyoungtofly;onceitswingfeathershavegrownin,itissaidtobefledged.

• Lucywasstillafledglingcatererwhenherdeviledeggsgavethewholepartyfoodpoisoning.

Full-fledgedmeanscomplete,full-grown.• Now that Lucy is a full-fledged gourmet chef, her deviled eggs poison only acoupleofpeopleannually.

FLIPPANT(FLIPunt) adj frivolouslydisrespectful;saucy;pert;flip• I like tomake flippant remarks in church to see howmany old ladies will turnaroundandglareatme.

Theactorstateofbeingflippantisflippancy(FLIPunsee).• Theflippancyofthesecondgraderswasalmostmorethanthesubstituteteachercouldstand.

Flipisanotherformofthewordthatisincommonusage.

FLORID(FLAWRid) adj ruddy;flushed;red-faced• Ike’s florid complexion is the result of drinking a keg of beer and eating tenpoundsoflardeveryday.

Floridisrelatedtofloralandflorist,soitalsomeansexcessivelyflowery,overdramatic,orornate.

• MybrotherisstillmakingfunofthatfloridlovepoemTedsentme.

FODDER(FAHDur) n coarsefoodforlivestock;rawmaterial• Thecattleforsomereasondon’tliketheirnewfodder,whichismadeofground-upfishbonesandcabbage.

• Estellewaslessembarrassedthanusualwhenherfatheractedstupidlyinpublicbecausehisbehaviorwasfodderforhernewstand-upcomedyroutine.

Fodderandfoodarederivedfromthesameroot.

FOLLY(FAHLee) n foolishness;insanity;imprudence• Youdon’tseemtounderstandwhatfollyitwouldbetodesignapaperraincoat.• ThepolicemantriedtoconvinceBuddyofthefollyofrunningawayfromhome;heexplainedtohimthathisbedathomewasmorecomfortablethanasidewalk,andthathismother’scookingwasbetterthannocookingatall.

Follyandfoolarederivedfromthesameroot.

FORAY(FAWRay) n aquickraidorattack;aninitialventure• The minute Shelly left for the party, her younger sisters made a foray on hermakeup;theyendedupsmearingherlipstickallovertheirfaces.

• My foray into the world of advertising convincedme that my soul is much toosensitiveforsuchasleazybusiness.

• The young soldier’s ill-fated foray into thewoods endedwith his capture by anenemypatrol.


FOREBODE(fawrBOHD) v tobeanomenof;topredict;toforetell• The baby’s purple face, quivering chin, and clenched fists forebode a tempertantrum.

Sometimestoforebodemeanstopredictorprophesy(PRAHFuhsye).• Bea forebodes tragedy every time she gazes into her crystal ball, unless thepersonpayingforherfortune-tellingwantsonlythegoodnews.

Aforebodingisthefeelingthatsomethingawfulisabouttohappen.• WhenRafisaw thekillershark leap towardhimwithagununderone finandaknifeundertheother,hehadaforebodingthatsomethingnotparticularlypleasantwasabouttohappentohim.

Tobodeandforebodearesynonyms.

FORECLOSE(fawrKLOHZ) v todepriveamortgagorofhisorherrighttoredeemaproperty;toshutoutorexclude

• Ifyoudon’tmakethemortgagepaymentsonyourhouse,thebankmayforecloseontheloan,takepossessionofthehouse,andsellitinordertoraisethemoneyyouowe.

• Even though he never made a single payment on his house, Tom still can’tunderstandwhythebankforeclosedonthemortgage.

• WhenTomdevelopedanallergyto it,hewas foreclosed fromeatinghis favoritefood,cornonthecob.

Anactofforeclosingisaforeclosure(fawrKLOHzhur).


1. figment a. foolishness2. fiscal b. inexperienced3. fledgling c. somethingmadeup4. flippant d. rawmaterial5. florid e. quickraid6. fodder f. monetary7. folly g. flushed8. foray h. beanomenof9. forebode i. frivolouslydisrespectful10. foreclose j. shutout

FORENSIC(fuhRENsik) adj relatedtoorusedincourtsoflaw• Beforeseekingan indictment, theprosecutorneededa report from the forensiclaboratory, which he felt certain would show that the dead man had beenstrangledwithhisbelt.

Forensicscanalsobethestudyorpracticeofdebate.• Because she likes to argue, Brooke assumed she would be the star of theforensics team; however, she soon found that the competition involved muchmorethanshouting.


FORESTALL (fawr STAWL) v to thwart, prevent, or hinder something fromhappening;toheadoff

• Toforestallembarrassingquestionsaboutherhaircut,Anndecidedtowearabagoverherheaduntilthehairgrewin.

• Let’s forestall a depressing January by not spending anymoney on Christmaspresentsthisyear.

FORSWEAR(fawrSWAYR) v toretract,renounce,orrecant;totakeback• ThethiefhadpreviouslytestifiedthathehadbeeninFloridaduringthetheft,butasternglancefromthejudgequicklymadehimforswearthattestimony.

• FormyNewYear’s resolution, I decided to forswear both tobacco and alcohol;thenIlitacigarandopenedabottleofchampagnetocelebratethenewme.

• Forswearyourgluttonousways!Goonadiet!

FORTE(FORtay) n aperson’sstrongpoint,specialtalent,orspecialty• Luludoesn’thaveaforte;shedoesn’tdoanythingparticularlywell.• UncleJoelikestoknit,buthisrealforteisneedlepoint.

FORTHRIGHT(FAWRTHryte) adj frank;outspoken;goingstraighttothepoint• WhentheministeraskedLucywhetherornotshewouldtakeClayasherlawfullyweddedhusband,sheansweredwithaforthright,“No!”

• IknowIaskedforyourhonestopiniononmydress,butIdidn’texpectyoutobethatforthright.

FOSTER(FAWStur) v toencourage;topromotethedevelopmentof• Growingupnextdoortoacircusfosteredmyloveofelephants.• Byrefusingtobepressured intoburning its“controversial”books, the librarywillfosternewideasinsteadofsmotheringthem.

• Thewolveswho raisedme lovingly fosteredmyability to runonmyhandsandknees.

FRAGMENTARY (FRAG mun tar ee) adj incomplete; disconnected; made up offragments

• Sincethecoupleadersrefusetoallowthepressintothecountry,ourinformationisstillfragmentaryatthispoint.

• Shehasonlyafragmentaryknowledgeofournationalanthem;shecansingthefirst,fifth,andeleventhlines,andthat’sall.

Tofragment(fragMENT)istobreakintopieces.Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisverb.

Fragmented means split up or divided. Fragmentary and fragmented are not quitesynonyms.

FRUITFUL (FROOT ful) adj productive; producing good or abundant results;successful

• The collaboration between the songwriter and the lyricist proved so fruitful thatlastyeartheywonaTonyforBestMusical.

• Ourbrainstormingsessionwasfruitful;wefiguredouthowtoachieveworldpeaceandcameupwithawaytoconvertoldsocksintocleanenergy.

Fruitless (FROOT lus)means unproductive, pointless, or unrewarding. A cherry treewithoutanycherriesisfruitlessinboththeliteralandthefigurativesenseoftheword.Afruitlesssearchturnsupnothing.

Toreachfruition(frooISHun)istoaccomplishorfulfillwhathasbeensoughtorstrivenfor.

• ThefruitionofallDiana’sdreamsarrivedwhenCharlesaskedhertobehiswife.


FUEL(fyool) v tostimulate;toignite;tokindle,asifprovidingwithfuel• Her older sister’s sarcasm only fueledWendy’s desire to live several thousandmilesaway.

• Juan fueled Juana’s suspicions by telling her out of the blue that he was notplanningasurprisepartyforher.

• Thetauntsoftheopposingquarterbackbackfiredbyfuelingourteam’squestforvictory.

FULMINATE (FUL muh nayt) v to denounce vigorously; to protest vehementlyagainstsomething

• Ineverysermon,thebishopfulminatesagainsttheevilsofminiskirts,sayingthattheyarethesortofskirtthatthedevilwouldwear.

• Theoldmanneveractuallywentafteranyofhisnumerousenemies;hejustsatinhisroomfulminating.

• The principal’s fulminations (fulmuhNAY shuns) had no effect on the naughtysophomores;theywentrightonsmokingcigarettesandblowingtheirsmokeinhisface.

Fulminationisaclosesynonymtodiatribe.


1. forensic a. usedincourtsoflaw2. forestall b. outspoken3. forswear c. specialtalent4. forte d. thwart5. forthright e. stimulate6. foster f. encourage7. fragmentary g. retract8. fruitful h. productive9. fuel i. denouncevigorously10. fulminate j. incomplete

GGAFFE(gaf) n asocialblunder;anembarrassingmistake;afauxpas

• In some cultures, burping after you eat is considered a sign that you liked themeal.Inourculture,it’sconsideredagaffe.

• Youcommitagaffewhenyouaskamanifhe’swearingatoupee.• MichaelKinsleydefinesapolitician’sgaffeas“theinadvertenttellingofthetruth.”

GALVANIZE(GALvuhnyze) v tostartleintosuddenactivity;torevitalize• Thestudentcouncilpresidenthopedhisspeechwouldgalvanizethestudentbodyintorebellingagainststandardizedtests.Buthisspeechwasnotasgalvanic (galVAHN ik) as he would have liked, and his listeners continued to doze in theirseats.

• Dullsville was a sleepy little town until its residents were galvanized by thediscoverythattheyallknewhowtowhistlereallywell.

Togalvanize something is literally to cover it in zinc,which protects it andmakes itstronger.Butitsfigurativedefinitionismuchmorecommonineverydayspeech.

GAMBIT(GAMbut) n aschemetogainanadvantage;aploy• Bobby’sopeninggambitat thechess tournamentallowedhim to takecontrolofthegamefromthebeginning.

• Meg’sgambittogetanewcarconsistedoftellingherfatherthateveryoneelseinherclasshadanewcar.

• Myyoungsonsaidhewantedadrinkofwater,but Iknew thathis requestwasmerelyagambittostayuplater.

GAMUT(GAMut) n thefullrange(ofsomething)• Thebaby’semotionsrunthegamutfromall-outshriekingtocontentedcooing.• Charlotte’sprofessorsaidthatheressaycoveredthegamutof literarymistakes,frombadspellingtooutrightplagiarism.

GARNER(GAHRnur) v togather;toacquire;toearn• Steve continues togarner varsity letters, a fact thatwill no doubtgarner him areputationasagreatathlete.

• Mary’sarticlesabouttoxicwastegarneredheraPulitzerPrize.

GASTRONOMY(gasTRAHNuhmee) n theartofeatingwell• The restaurant’snewFrenchchef issowell versed ingastronomy that shecan

makeapileofhaytastegood.Infact,Ibelievethathayiswhatsheservedusfordinnerlastnight.

• Ihavenevereatenabettermeal.Itisagastronomic(gastruhNAHMik)miracle.

GENERIC(jeNERik) adj general;common;notprotectedbytrademark• The machinery Pedro used to make his great discovery was entirely generic;anyonewithaccesstoahardwarestorecouldhavedonewhathedid.

• Theyearafterhegraduatedfromcollege,PaulmovedtoNewYorkandwroteageneric firstnovel inwhichayoungmangraduatesfromcollege,movestoNewYork,andwriteshisfirstnovel.

• Insteadofbuyingexpensivename-brandcigarettes,Rachelbuysagenericbrandandthusruinsherhealthatfarlessexpense.

GENESIS(JENuhsis) n origin;creation;beginningGenesisisthenameofthefirstbookoftheBible.Itconcernsthegenesisoftheworld,andinitAdamandEverealizethatitisneverwisetolistentotheadviceofserpents.

• It’shard tobelieve that theBoeing747has itsgenesis in the flimsycontraptionbuiltbytheWrightbrothers.

GENOCIDE (JEN uh syde) n the extermination of a national, racial, or religiousgroup

• Hitler’spolicyofgenocidemadehimoneofthemosthatedmeninhistory.When a word ends with the suffix “cide,” it generally has to do with some form ofmurder.Homicide (HAHMuh syde)meansmurder;matricide (MA truh syde)meansmother-murder;patricide(PAtruhsyde)meansfather-murder;suicide (SOOuhsyde)means self-murder. An insecticide (in SEK tuh syde) is a substance that “murders”insects.

GERMANE(jurMAYN) adj applicable;pertinent;relevant• “WhetherornotyourmotherandIgiveyoutoosmallanallowance,”saidCleo’sfathersternly,“isnotgermanetomysuggestionthatyoucleanupyourroommoreoften.”

• Oneofthemanygermanepointsheraisedduringhisspeechwasthatsomeoneisgoingtohavetopayforalltheseimprovements.

• ClaimingthatArnold’scommentswerenotgermanetothediscussionathand,thepresidentofthecompanytoldhimtositdownandremainsilent.

QuickQuiz#43Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.

Checkyouranswershere.1. gaffe a. fullrange2. galvanize b. gather3. gambit c. startleintosuddenactivity4. gamut d. artofeatingwell5. garner e. socialblunder6. gastronomy f. exterminationofanational,racial,orreligious

group7. generic g. origin8. genesis h. schemetogainanadvantage9. genocide i. common10. germane j. applicable

GHASTLY(GASTlee) adj shockinglyhorrible;frightful;ghostlike• ThemostghastlycrimeeverrecordedinthesepartswascommittedbyOne-EyeSam,anditwastoohorrifyingtodescribe.

• Youhavearatherghastlycolorallofasudden.Haveyou justspottedOne-EyeSam?

GRATIS(GRATus) adj freeofcharge• Since Gary drove his car throughWhitney’s plateglass living room window, heprovidedherwithanewone,gratis.

• Itriedtopayforthelittlemintonmypillow,butthechambermaidexplainedthatitwasgratis.

• When thewaiter toldHerbert that thedrinkwasgratis,Herbertstarted toshout.Hesaid,“Ididn’torderanydamnedgratis.Iwantsomebrandy,andIwantitnow!”

Ifsomethinggratisisfreelygiven,thenitmakessensethatagratuityisanamountthatis paid by choice, and that gratuitous violence in a movie is violence that isunwarranted,ornotessentialtotheplot.

Gratiscanalsobepronounced“GRAYtus.”

GRIEVOUS(GREEvus) adj tragic;agonizing;severe• WhenSarahfoundoutthatThomasdidn’thavehermoney,shethreatenedtodohimgrievousharm.

• ThememoryofallthetimesI’veyelledatmychildrenisgrievoustome.

GRIMACE(GRIMis) v tomakeanugly,disapprovingfacialexpression• Don’tgrimace,Daniel,oryourfacewillfreezethatway!

• Tomcouldn’thelpgrimacingwhenheheardthatthePettiboneswerecomingoverforsupper;hehadhatedthePettiboneseversincetheyhadborrowedhisridinglawnmowerandriddenitintothelake.

Thiswordcanalsobeusedasanoun.Theexpressiononthefaceofapersonwhoisgrimacingiscalledagrimace.

• ThegrimaceonthefaceofthejudgewhenLilaplayedherviolindidnotbodewellforherchancesinthecompetition.

GUISE(gyze) n appearance;semblance• Everynighttheemperorenterstheprincess’sroomintheguiseofanightingale,andeverynighttheprincessopensherwindowandshooshimout.

Aguisecanalsomeanafalseappearanceorapretense.• HowwasIsupposedtoknowthatIcouldn’ttrustHortense?Shehadtheguiseofanangel!


1. ghastly a. freeofcharge2. gratis b. shockinglyhorrible3. grievous c. makeanuglyface4. grimace d. tragic5. guise e. appearance

HHABITUATE(huhBICHoowayt) v totrain;toaccustomtoasituation

• Puttingaclockinapuppy’sbedissupposedtohelphabituateittoitsnewhome,butmostpuppiesbecomehomesickanyway.

• Thebestwaytohabituateyourselftodailyexerciseistoworkoutfirstthinginthemorning.

Ifyouareafrequentvisitortoaplace,youmaybesaidtobeahabitué(huhBICHooway)ofthatplace.

• Aliceisahabituéofboththebarattheendofherstreetandthegutterinfrontofit.

Notetheaccentonhabitué.

HALCYON(HALseeun) adj peaceful;carefree;serene• Whydoeseveryonetalkaboutthehalcyondaysofyouth?MostofthekidsIknowdon’texactlyliveserene,carefreelives.

• Thesehalcyonskiesareagoodharbingerofapleasantvacation.


HARASS(huhRAS) v toattackrepeatedly;totormentorpester• Theunrulystudentssoharassed theiruncoordinatedphysicaleducationteacherthatshefinallywentcrazyandquit.

• Warren’sfemaleemployeesarevictimsofsexualharassment(huhRASmunt).Ifpeople outside his company ever find out about Warren’s record of sexualharassment,he’llneverbeabletogetanotherjob.Good!

“HARus”isanalternativepronunciationbutislessoftenused.

HARBINGER(HARbinjur) n aprecursor;anindication;anomen• Whenatoiletoverflows,itisusuallyaharbingerofplumbingproblemstocome.• Priscillafoundasilverdollaronthefloor,andshevieweditasaharbingerofthegoodluckshewascertaintohaveontheslotmachinesthatnight.

• The vultures circling overhead were viewed as a harbinger of doom by thestarving, thirst-stricken settlers trying to claw their way across the sweltering

desertfloorseveralhundredfeetbelow.


HARP(harp) v torepeattediously;togoonandonaboutsomething• “Willyouquitharpingonmyhair?”Timshoutedathismother.“Idon’thavetogetitcutifIdon’twantto!”

Don’t confuse harp with carp (carp). Carping is complaining excessively or findingunreasonable faultwith something. If youwere to complain that someone had beenharpingonsomethingwhentheyactuallyhadn’tbeen,youwouldbecarping.

HARRY(HARee) v toharass;toannoy• The soldiers vowed to harry their opponents until they finally surrendered thetown.

Theadjectiveisharried.• Nowonderthatmotherhasaharriedlook.She’sbeentakingcareofsixchildrenallday.

HEINOUS(HAYnus) adj shockinglyevil;abominable;atrocious• Brunoisaheinousvillain;hiscrimesaresohorriblethatpeopleburstintotearsatthemeresoundofhisname.

• Gertrude’streatmentofhercatwasheinous;shefedhimdryfoodfornearlyeverymeal,andshenevergavehimanychickenlivers.


HERALD(HERuld) n aroyalproclaimer;aharbinger• Thequeensentaheraldtoproclaimvictory.• Arobinissometimesviewedasaheraldofspring;itssongannouncesthatwinterhasfinallyended.

Heraldcanalsobeaverb.Toheraldsomethingistobeaheraldofit,toproclaimnewsofit,toannounceit,toproclaimit.

• The members of the football team heralded their victory through the town byhonkingtheircarhornscontinuouslywhiledrivingslowlyupanddownthestreetsforseveralhours.

HOARY(HOHRee) adj grayorwhitewithage;ancient;stale• Thedog’shoarymuzzleandcloudedeyesbetrayedheradvancedage.

• Thecollege’sphilosophydepartmentwasabitonthehoaryside;theaverageageofthoseprofessorsmusthavebeenatleastseventy-five.

• Don’tyouthinkthatjoke’sgettingalittlehoary?Youmusthavetoldittwentytimesatthispartyalone.

HOMAGE(AHMij) n reverence;respect• Every year, thousands of tourists travel to Graceland to pay homage to ElvisPresley; thousands more stay home and pay homage to him in their localsupermarketsandpizzaparlors,where theycatchglimpsesofhimducking intothemen’sroomorpeeringthroughthewindows.

• Sanforderectedthenewofficebuildinginhomagetohimself;hehadastatueofhimself installed in the lobby, and he commissioned a big sign proclaiming thebuilding’sname:theSanfordBuilding.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword:Thehissilent.

HUBRIS(HYOObris) n arrogance;excessivepride• Ifyou’reeverassignedtowriteanessayaboutwhytheheroofaplaycomestoatragicend,it’sasafebettosaythatitwashubristhatbroughtabouthisdownfall.

• Stevenhasaseriouscaseofhubris;he’salwaysclaimingtobethehandsomestmanonthebeachwhenhe’sreallyaninety-seven-poundweakling.


HYPOCRISY(hiPAHKruhsee) n insincerity;two-facedness• Thecandidate’smostobviousqualification forofficewashishypocrisy;hegavespeeches in praise of “family values” even though his own family was in ashambles.

• Oki despises hypocrisy somuch that she sometimes goes too far in the otherdirection.WhenJuliaaskedwhetherOki likedhernewdress,Oki replied,“No. Ithinkit’sugly.”

Apersonwhopracticeshypocrisy isahypocrite(HIPuhkrit).Ahypocrite isapersonwhosaysonethinganddoesanother.Ahypocriteishypocritical(hipuhKRITikul).It’shypocriticaltopraisesomeoneforherhonestyandthencallheraliarbehindherback.


QuickQuiz#45Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.Check your answers here. Note that “attack repeatedly” is the answer for twoquestions.

1. habituate a. arrogance2. halcyon b. peaceful3. harass c. royalproclaimer4. harbinger d. insincerity5. harp e. grayorwhitewithage6. harry f. attackrepeatedly(2)7. heinous g. reverence8. herald h. repeattediously9. hoary i. accustomtoasituation10. homage j. shockinglyevil11. hubris k. precursor12. hypocrisy

IIDIOM (ID ee um) n an expression whose meaning is different from the literalmeaningofthewords;alanguageordialectusedbyagroupofpeopleIt’ssometimeshardforforeignerstograspalltheidiomsweuseinEnglish.Theyhavespecialtroublewithexpressionslike“lettingthecatoutofthebag.”Toletthecatoutofthebag is togiveawayasecret,not to letacatoutofabag.Theexpression isanidiom,notaliteralstatementoffact.Otherlanguageshaveidioms,too.InFrench,“mylittlecabbage”isatermofendearment.Thiswordcanalsobeusedtorefertoalanguage,dialect,orevenjargonspokenbyagroupofpeople.

• Jerry didn’t get along very well with the people in the computer departmentbecausehedidn’tunderstandtheiridiom.

Idiomaticisanadjectivethatdescribesanidiom.• Thisruleofgrammarmayseempeculiartoeveryoneelseinthecountrybecauseitisonlyidiomatictothepeoplelivinginthatsmallregion.

IMBUE(imBYOO) v toinspire;topermeateortinge• Wasittheyoungpoet’sbrilliantwritingorhisdashingappearancethatimbuedthegirlswithsuchaloveofpoetry?

• Henriettasoakedherwhitedressinabathtubofteato imbueitwithasubtletancolor.

Thewordinfuseisaclosesynonym.

IMPASSE(IMpas) n adeadlock;asituationfromwhichthereisnoescape• Afterarguingallday,thejurywasforcedtoadmittheyhadreachedan impasse;theyhadexaminedandreexaminedtheevidence,buttheystillcouldnotreachaunanimousverdict.

• Weseemtohavereachedanimpasse.Youwanttospendthemoneyonapairofhockeyskatesforyourself,whileIwanttodonateittocharity.

IMPEACH(imPEECH) v toaccuseorindict;tochallenge;callintoquestion• Congress is still trying to decide whether to impeach the president for spillingfingerpaintintheOvalOffice.

Toimpeachapoliticalfigureisnottothrowthepersonoutofoffice;itistoaccusehimor her of an offense for which he or she will be thrown out of office if found guilty.PresidentClintonwasimpeached,buthewasnotconvicted.HadPresidentNixonbeenimpeached, hewould have been tried by theSenate. If found guilty, hewould havebeengiventheboot.Instead,realizingthejigwasup,heresigned.

Impeachalsohasameaningthathasnothingtodowithremovingpoliticalfiguresfromoffice.

• It’snotfairtoimpeachmymoralsjustbecauseIuseswearwordseveryonceinawhile.

Tobeunimpeachableistobeabovesuspicionorimpossibletodiscredit.• If the president proves to be a man of unimpeachable honor, he will not beimpeached.

IMPECUNIOUS(impiKYOOneeus) adj withoutmoney;penniless• Canyoulendmefivemilliondollars?Ifindmyselfmomentarilyimpecunious.• When his dream ofmaking a fortune selling talking T-shirts evaporated, Arthurwasleftimpecunious.

Thewordpecuniary(piKYOOneeeree)meansrelatingtomoney.Topeculate(PEKyuhlayt)istoembezzleorstealmoney.

IMPEDE(imPEED) v toobstructorinterferewith;todelay• ThefasterItrytopickupthehouse,themorethecat impedesme;heseesmescurrying around, and thinking I want to play, he runs up and winds himselfaroundmyankles.

• The fact that the little boy is missing all his front teeth impedes his speakingclearly.

Somethingthatimpedesisanimpediment(imPEDuhmunt).• Irene’s inability to learn foreign languages was a definite impediment to hermasteryofFrenchliterature.

IMPENDING(imPENDing) adj approaching;imminent;looming• Jim’simpendingfiftiethbirthdayfilledhimwithgloom;hewasstartingtofeelold.• Thescowlonherhusband’sfacealertedClairetoanimpendingargument.• The reporter didn’t seem to notice his rapidly impending deadline; he pokedaroundinhisofficeasifhehadallthetimeintheworld.

Theverbisimpend.

IMPENETRABLE (im PEN uh truh bul) adj incapable of being penetrated;impervious;incomprehensible

• Thefortressonthetopofthehillwas impenetrabletothepoorlyarmedsoldiers;although they tried for days, they were unable to break through its thick stonewalls.

• Forobviousreasons,knightsintheMiddleAgeshopedthattheirarmorwouldbeimpenetrable.

• Thisessayisutterlyimpenetrable.Thereisn’tonewordinitthatmakessensetome.

• I was unable to guess what Bob was thinking; as usual, his expression wasimpenetrable.

Impenetrableisaclosesynonymtoimpregnable.

IMPERATIVE(imPERuhtiv) adj completelynecessary;vitallyimportant• The children couldn’t quite accept the idea that cleaning up the playroom wasimperative;theysaidtheydidn’tmindwadingthroughthetoysstrewnonthefloor,eveniftheydidoccasionallyfalldownandhurtthemselves.

Thiswordcanalsobeusedasanoun,inwhichcaseitmeansacommand,order,orrequirement.Adoctorhasamoralimperativetohelpsickpeopleinsteadofplayinggolf—unless,ofcourse,it’shisdayoff,orthepeoplearen’tverysick.

IMPETUOUS(imPECHoowus) adj rash;overimpulsive;headlong• Jeremyissoimpetuousthatheranoutandboughtanengagementringforagirlwhosmiledathiminthesubway.

• Olive’sdecisiontodrivehercarintothelaketoseewhetheritwouldfloatwasanimpetuous one that she regretted as soon as water began to seep into thepassengercompartment.



1. idiom a. accuse2. imbue b. approaching3. impasse c. nonliteralexpression4. impeach d. obstruct5. impecunious e. withoutmoney6. impede f. inspire7. impending g. rash8. impenetrable h. completelynecessary9. imperative i. deadlock10. impetuous j. impervious

IMPLICATION(impluhKAYshun) n somethingimpliedorsuggested;ramification• WhenyousaidIlookedhealthy,wasthatreallymeantasan implicationthatI’veputonweight?

• A100percentcutinourschoolbudgetwouldhavetroublingimplications;Isimplydon’t think the children would receive a good education if they didn’t haveteachers,books,oraschool.

Intimationisaclosesynonymforimplication.

Toimplysomethingistosuggestit.• WhenPeter’sgirlfriendsaid,“My,youcertainlyknowhowtodriveacarfast,don’tyou?”inatremblingvoice,shewasimplyingthatPeterwasgoingtoofast.

To imply something is not at all the same thing as to infer (in FUR) it, even thoughmany people use these two words interchangeably. To infer is to figure out what isbeingimplied.Theactofinferringisaninferrence(INfurens).

• Peter was so proud of his driving that he did not infer the meaning of hisgirlfriend’simplication.

IMPORTUNE(impawrTOON) v tourgewithannoyingpersistence;totrouble• “Ihatetoimportuneyouonceagain,”saidthewomannextdoor,“butmayIpleaseborrowsomesugar,eggs,milk,flour,butter,jam,andsoup?”

• TheceaselessimportuningofherchildrenfinallydroveSophieoverthebrink;shestuffedtheentirebroodinthecarandleftthemwithhermother-in-law.

Toimportuneorbecharacterizedbyimportuningistobeimportunate(imPAWRchuhnit).

• Leslie’simportunateboyfriendcalledherdayandnighttoaskherifshestillloveshim;afterthehundredthsuchphonecall,sheunderstandablydecidedthatshedidnot.

Notecarefullythespellingandpronunciationofthesewords.

IMPOVERISH(imPAHvrish) v toreducetopoverty;tomakedestitute• Mr.DeZinno spent every pennyhehadon lottery tickets, noneofwhichwasawinner;heimpoverishedhimselfinhisefforttobecomerich.

• Theravagesofthetornadoimpoverishedmanyfamiliesinourtownandplacedaheavystrainonourlocalgovernment’salreadylimitedresources.

Impoverishment(imPAHVrishmunt)ispovertyortheactofreducingtopoverty.• TheGreatDepressionledtotheimpoverishmentofmanyformerlywell-offfamiliesinAmerica.

IMPREGNABLE (im PREG nuh bul) adj unconquerable; able to withstand attack;impenetrable

• Againandagain,thearmyunsuccessfullyattackedthefortress,onlytoconcludethatitwasimpregnable.

• There’snopoint in trying to changeMr.Roberts’sattitudeabouthairstyles; youwill find that his belief in a link between long hair and communism is utterlyimpregnable.

• ThankstorepeatedapplicationsofTurtleWax,mycar’sfinishisimpregnable;therainandsnowbouncerightoffit.

IMPRESARIO (im pruh SAHR ee oh) n a person who manages publicentertainments(especiallyoperas,butothereventsaswell)

• Monsieur Clovis, the impresario of the Little Rock Operetta House, is astemperamental as some of his singers; if he doesn’t get his way, he holds hisbreathuntilheturnsblue.

• Valcallshimselfan impresario,butheisreallyjustalazyguywholikestohangaroundrockconcertsmakinganuisanceofhimself.

IMPROMPTU (imPRAHMP too) adj done without preparation, on the spur of themoment

• When Dimitri’s mother-in-law dropped in without warning, he prepared her animpromptumealofthefoodshehadonhand—coffeeandtomatosauce.

• The actress did her best to pretend her award acceptance speech wasimpromptu,buteveryonecouldseethenotestuckedintoherdress.

IMPROVISE (IM pruh vyze) v to perform without preparation; to make do withwhatevermaterialsareavailable

• Forcedtolandonadesertedisland,theshipwreckedsailorsimprovisedashelteroutofdriftwoodandsand.

• Whenthechoirsoloistforgotthelastverseofthehymn,shehastilyimprovisedaversionofherown.

Improvisation(imprahvuhZAYshun)istheactoraninstanceofimprovising.• Theforgetfulchoirsoloistfortunatelyhadaknackforimprovisation.

IMPUNITY(imPYOOnuhtee) n freedomfrompunishmentorharm• Babies canmash food into their hair with impunity; no one gets angry at thembecausebabiesaren’texpectedtobepolite.

INADVERTENT(inadVURtunt) adj unintentional;heedless;notplanned• Paula’ssnubofLaurenwasentirelyinadvertent;shehadn’tmeanttoturnuphernoseandtreatLaurenasthoughshewereapieceoffurniture.

• Isabelle’s inadvertent laughter during the sad part of the movie was a greatembarrassmenttoherdate.

• While ironingashirt,Steven inadvertentlyscorchedonesleeve; itwasreallythecollarthathehadmeanttoscorch.

INALIENABLE(inAYleeunuhbul) adj sacred;incapableofbeingtransferred,lost,ortakenaway

• Inmyhousehold,webelievethatpeoplearebornwithaninalienablerighttohavedessertsaftermeals.

• AccordingtothereligionJackfounded,allleft-handedpeoplehaveaninalienablerighttospendeternityinparadise;needlesstosay,Jackisleft-handed.


1. implication a. unintentional2. importune b. urgewithannoyingpersistence3. impoverish c. personwhomanagespublicentertainments4. impregnable d. somethingsuggested5. impresario e. freedomfrompunishment6. impromptu f. unconquerable7. improvise g. doneonthespurofthemoment8. impunity h. unassailable9. inadvertent i. reducetopoverty10. inalienable j. performwithoutpreparation

INCARNATION(inkahrNAYshun) n embodiment• Nina is the incarnation of virtue; shehasneverdoneanythingwrongsince shewasborn.

• Nina’s brother Ian, however, is so evil that somepeople consider him the devilincarnate (inKAHRnit).That is, theyconsiderhimtobe theembodimentof thedevil,orthedevilinhumanform.

Ifyoubelieveinreincarnation(reeinkahrNAYshun),youbelievethatafteryourbodydies,yoursoulwillreturntoearthinanotherbody,perhapsthatofahousefly.Insuchacase,youwouldbesaidtohavebeenreincarnated(reeinKAHRnaytud),regrettably,asahousefly.


INCENDIARY (inSENdee er ee) adj used for setting property on fire; tending toarousepassionoranger;inflammatory

• Althoughtheinspectorfromthearsonsquadfoundascorchedincendiarydeviceintheguttedbasementoftheburned-downhouse,theneighborsinsistedthatthefirewasaccidental.

• Thelyricsoftheheavy-metalstar’ssongsaresoincendiarythathisfansroutinelytrashtheauditoriumduringhisperformances.

• On July 3, the newspaper published an incendiary editorial urging readers tocelebratethenation’sbirthdaybysettingflagsonfire.

Toincense(inSENS)istoanger.

INCLINATION(inkluhNAYshun) n tendency;preference;liking• Mynatural inclinationat theendofa tiringmorning is to takea longnap ratherthanabriskwalk,eventhoughIknowthatthewalkwouldbemorelikelythanthenaptomakemefeelbetter.ItcouldalsobesaidthatIhaveadisinclination(disinkluhNAYshun)totakewalks.

• Nudistshaveaninclinationtoridiculepeoplewhowearclothes,whilepeoplewhowearclotheshavethesameinclinationtowardnudists.

Tohaveaninclinationtodosomethingistobeinclined(inKLYND)todoit.• Iaminclinedtopostponemystudyofvocabularyinordertotakeanaprightnow.

Ifyoupicturesomeonephysically leaning,or inclining, towardsomething,youhaveabuilt-inmemorydeviceforthisword.

INCULCATE (in KUL kayt) v to instill or implant by repeated suggestions oradmonitions

• Ittooktenyears,butatlastwe’vemanagedtoinculcateinourdaughterthehabitofshakinghands.

• The preacher who believes that stern sermons will inculcate morals in hiscongregationfrequentlyfindsthatpeoplestopcomingtochurchatall.


INCUMBENT(inKUMbunt) adj currentlyholdinganoffice;obligatory• Theincumbentdogwardenwouldlovetosurrenderhisjobtosomeoneelse,butnooneelseisrunningforthejob.

• An incumbent senator usually has a distinct advantage over any opponent

because being in office makes it easier for him or her to raise the millions ofdollarsneededtofinanceamodernpoliticalcampaign.

Incumbentcanalsobeanoun.Inapoliticalrace,theincumbentisthecandidatewhoalreadyholds theoffice.When incumbentmeans obligatory, it is usually followed byupon.

• Itisincumbentuponme,asLordHighSuzerainoftheUniverse,tolookoutforthewelfareofalllifeforms.

INCURSION(inKURzhun) n ahostileinvasion;araid• Afterrepeatedincursionsintothetown,theenemysoldiersfinallyrealizedthatthetownspeoplewouldneversurrender.

• Todd’smidnightincursionsontherefrigeratorusuallymeantthatatbreakfasttimenooneelseinthefamilyhadanythingtoeat.

INDICT(inDYTE) v tochargewithacrime;toaccuseofwrongdoing• Afterafive-daywaterfight,theentirefreshmandormwasindictedonachargeofdamagingproperty.

• Themobbosshadbeen indictedmany times,buthehadneverbeenconvictedbecausehishigh-pricedlawyershadalwaysbeenabletotalkcirclesaroundthedistrictattorney.

Anactofindictingisanindictment.• Thebrokenfishbowlandmissingfishwereaclearindictmentofthecat.

Formorevocabularyderivedfrompolitics,government,andlaw,turntoChapter8.

Notecarefullythespellingandpronunciationofthisword.

INDUCE(inDOOS) v topersuade;toinfluence;tocause• “CouldI induceyoutoreadonemorechapter?”thelittleboyaskedhisfatheratbedtime; the fatherwassoastonished thathis littleboyunderstoodsuchabig,important-soundingwordthathequicklycompliedwiththerequest.

Somethingthatpersuadesisaninducement.• The dusty, neglected-looking mannequins in the store window were hardly aninducementtoshopthere.

INELUCTABLE(inuhLUKtuhbul) adj inescapable; incapableofbeingresistedoravoided

• Theovermatchedopposing football teamcouldnothaltour ineluctableprogressdownthefield,andweeasilyscoredatouchdown.

• Ifyoukeepwavingthatswordaroundinthiscrowdedroom,I’mafraidatragedy

willbeineluctable.• With slowbut ineluctable progress,awaveofmolassescreptacross the room,silentlyengulfingtheguestsatthecocktailparty.

INERADICABLE (in uh RAD uh kuh bul) adj incapable of being removed ordestroyedoreradicated

• Thesubwayofficialsdidtheirbesttoscrubthegraffitioffthetrains,butthepaintthe vandals had used proved to be ineradicable; not even cleaning fluidwouldremoveit.

• Timworesaddleshoesandyellowsocksonthefirstdayofhighschool,garneringhimselfanineradicablereputationasanerd.

INFLAMMATORY (in FLAM uh tawr ee) adj fiery; tending to arouse passion oranger;incendiary

• Maxine’s inflammatory speech about animal rightsmade her listeners so angrythattheyranoutofthebuildingandbeganrippingthefurcoatsoffpassersby.

Inflammatoryshouldnotbeconfusedwithinflammable(inFLAMuhbul)orflammable,both of which mean capable of literally bursting into flames. An angry speech isinflammatory, but fortunately it is not inflammable. (In careful usage, inflammable ispreferred; flammable was coined to prevent people from thinking that things labeledinflammablewereincapableofcatchingonfire.)

Theverbisinflame.


1. incarnation a. hostileinvasion2. incendiary b. instill3. inclination c. usedforsettingpropertyonfire4. inculcate d. currentlyholdingoffice5. incumbent e. chargewithacrime6. incursion f. tendency7. indict g. embodiment8. induce h. persuade9. ineluctable i. incapableofbeingremoved10. ineradicable j. inescapable

INFLUX(INfluks) n inflow;arrivaloflargenumbersofpeopleorthings;inundation• The influx of ugly clothes in the stores this fall can only mean that fashiondesignershavelosttheirmindsonceagain.

• Heavyspringrainsbroughtaninfluxofmudtopeople’sbasements.Becarefulnottoconfuseinfluxwithinflux.Influxmeansinastateofchange.

INFRACTION(inFRAKshun) n violation;infringement;thebreakingofalawTofractureistobreak.Aninfractionisbreakingaruleorlaw.

• “I’mwarningyou,Prudence,”saidtheheadmistress.“Eventheslightestinfractionofschoolruleswillgetyouexpelled.”

• Drivingseventymilesanhourinathirty-mile-an-hourzoneiswhatFredwouldcallaminor infractionofthetrafficlaws,butthepolicemandidnotagree,andFred’slicensewassuspendedforayear.

INFRASTRUCTURE (IN fruh struk chur) n the basic framework of a system;foundation

• The country’s political infrastructure was so corrupt that most of the citizenswelcomedthecoup.

• When people talk about “the nation’s crumbling infrastructure,” they are usuallyreferring to deteriorating highways, crumbling bridges, poorly maintained publicbuildings,andotherneglectedpublicresources.

INFRINGE(inFRINJ) v toviolate;toencroachortrespass• ThecourtruledthattheuglycolorofZeke’sneighbor’shousedidnot infringeonanyofZeke’slegalrightsasapropertyowner.

• WheneverPatrickcomesintoherroom,Lizalwaysshouts,“Mom!He’sinfringingonmypersonalspace!”

Anactofinfringingisaninfringement.• It isaclear infringementofcopyright tophotocopy theentire textofabookandsellcopiestootherpeople.

INFUSE(inFYOOZ) v tointroduceinto;toinstill;toimbue• Everyone in the wedding party was nervous until the subtle harmonies of thestringquartet infused themwithasenseof tranquillity;ofcourse, theyhadalsodrunkquiteabitofchampagne.

• Thecouple’sredecorationjobsomehowmanagedtoinfusethewholehousewithgarishness;before,onlythekitchenhadbeengarish.

Anactofinfusingorsomethingthatinfusesisaninfusion.• WheneverIhaveacough,mygrandmothersteepsaninfusionofherbsthatcures

merightaway.

INGRATIATE(inGRAYsheeayt) v toworktomakeyourselfliked• Putting tacksonpeople’s chairs isn’t exactly thebestway to ingratiate yourselfwiththem.

• LickingthehandsofthepeoplehemetdidnotingratiateRashidwithmostoftheguestsatthecocktailparty,althoughhedidmakeafavorableimpressiononthepoodle.

Theactofingratiatingisingratiation(ingraysheeAYshun).• Bella’sattemptsatingratiationwereunsuccessful;herteachercouldtellshewasbeinginsincerewhenshetoldhimhownicehelooked.

• “That’stheloveliest,mostflatteringdressI’veeverseenyouwear,MissFord,”theclassgoody-goodytoldtheteacheringratiatingly.

INIMICAL(iNIMikul) adj unfavorable;harmful;detrimental;hostile• Allthatmakeupyouwearisinimicaltoaclearcomplexion;itsmothersyourporesandpreventsyourskinfrombreathing.

• ThereviewsofhisexhibitionweresoinimicalthatCharlesneversculptedagain.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword,which,withspellingchanges,isrelatedtotheword“enemy.”

INIMITABLE(iNIMituhbul) adj impossibletoimitate;incomparable;matchless;thebest

• Dressedinalampshadeandafewpiecesoftinsel,Francesmanagedtocarryofftheeveninginherusualinimitablestyle.

• Fred’sdancingstyle isso inimitable thatanyonewhofollowshisact looks likeadrunkelephantbycomparison.


INNUENDO(inyooENdoh) n aninsinuation;aslyhint• IresentyourinnuendothatI’mnotcapableoffinishingwhatIstart.• Oscartriedtohintthathewantedanewfishingpoleforhisbirthday,butMaxinedidn’tpickupontheinnuendo,andshegavehimabowlingballinstead.

Thepluralisinnuendos.• Althoughhisopponentneveractually saidSenatorHill cheatedonhiswife, thepublicinnuendoswereenoughtoruinHill’schancesforreelection.

INQUISITION (in kwi ZISH un) n ruthless questioning; an official investigationcharacterizedbycruelty

• I keep telling you that I got home late because Imissed the bus!What is this,somekindofinquisition?

• DuringtheSpanishInquisition,peopleweresubstantiallybetteroffiftheywerenotfoundtobeheretics.TheSpanishinquisitorsweren’tfondofheresy.

Aninquisitive(inKWIzuhtiv)personisapersonwhohasalotofquestions.Thisworddoes not connote cruelty or ruthlessness. When a five-year-old asks where babiescomefrom,heisbeinginquisitive;heisnotbehavinglikeaninquisitor.


1. inflammatory a. basicframeworkofasystem2. influx b. violate3. infraction c. tendingtoarousepassionoranger4. infrastructure d. violation5. infringe e. insinuation6. infuse f. harmful7. ingratiate g. inflow8. inimical h. worktomakeyourselfliked9. inimitable i. introduceinto10. innuendo j. impossibletoimitate

INSOUCIANT(inSOOseeunt) adj nonchalant;lighthearted;carefree• Sebastiandelightedinobservingtheinsouciantplayofchildren,buthedidn’twantanychildrenofhisown.

• She is so charmingly insouciant, with her constant tap dancing and her littlesnatchesof song, that noone can stand to be in the same roomwith her.Herinsouciance(inSOOseeuns)drivespeoplecrazy.

• “Idon’tcarewhetheryoumarrymeornot,”Mikesaidinsouciantly.“I’vedecidedtojointhecircusanyway.”


INSUFFERABLE(inSUFuruhbul) adj unbearable;intolerable

• The smell of cigar smoke in this room is absolutely insufferable; I’m afraid I’llsuffocateifIremainhereforanotherminute.

• Gretchen’shusband isan insufferableboor;hechewswithhismouthopenandwipeshisnoseonthetablecloth.


INSUPERABLE (in SOO pur uh bul) adj unable to be overcome; insurmountable;overwhelming

• Thereareanumberofinsuperableobstaclesinmyway,beginningwiththatmile-highboulderdirectlyinmypath.

• Againstseeminglyinsuperableodds,theneighborhoodtouch-footballteammadeitallthewaytotheSuperBowl.

• Henry believes that no task is insuperable; the key to success, he says, is tobreakthetaskintomanageablesteps.


INSURRECTION (in sur EK shun) n an act of open rebellion against authority; arevolt

• When their mother denied them TV privileges for a week, the Eisenman twinsorganizedaninsurrectioninwhichtheystormedtheden,draggedtheTVintotheirbedroom,andbarredthedoor.

INTEGRAL(INtuhgrul) adj essential;indispensable• Knittingneedlesareanintegralpartofknittingasweater.Soiswool.• After opening the case, Harry discovered why his new computer didn’t work:Severalintegralparts,includingthemicroprocessor,weremissing.

Integral is related to integrate,whichmeans tomakewhole, and integer,which is awholenumber.Integralsometimesalsomeanswhole,fulfilled,orperfect.

• Forme,nodayisintegralunlessIcaneatchocolateatsomepointduringit.

INTERIM(INturim) n meantime;aninterveningtime;atemporaryarrangement• MissStreisandwillnotbeabletogivesinginglessonsuntilherlaryngitisisbetter.Intheinterim,MissMidlerwillgivelessonsinstead.

Thiswordcanalsobeanadjective.• The interim professor had an easier time with the unruly students than did hispredecessorbecausehecarriedalargeclubtoclasswithhimeveryday.


INTERLOPER(inturLOHpur) n intruder;trespasser;unwantedperson• Ilovedeerinthewild,butwhentheygetintomybackyardIcan’thelpthinkingofthemasinterlopers.

• The year-round residents of the resort town viewed summertime visitors asinterloperswhocontributednothingtothetownexcepttrafficjamsandtrash.

INTERLUDE(INturlood) n aninterveningepisode;anintermission;apause• Wasn’t that a pleasant interlude? I just love getting away from my office andshootingtherapidsforanhourortwo.

• “Clara’sInterlude”isamusicalpiecewrittenby—whoelse?—Clara.• MissPrince’sSchool forYoungLadies issogenteel thatduringgamestheycallhalftime“theinterlude.”

Seeourlistingforprelude.

INTERMINABLE(inTURmuhnuhbul) adj seeminglyunending;tediouslylongToterminateistoend,asinthemovieTerminator.Interminablemeansunending.

• Themeetingwassupposed tobeshort, butTed’s interminable lists of statisticsdraggeditoutforthreehours.

• WintermustseeminterminableinMoscow;theweatherusuallystartsgettingcoldinSeptemberanddoesn’twarmupuntilApril.

INTERMITTENT (in tur MIT unt) adj occasional; repeatedly starting and stopping;recurrent

• Theintermittenthootingofanowloutsidemywindowmadeithardformetosleeplastnight;everytimeIwouldbegintodropoff,theowlwouldstartupagain.

• Intermittentrainshowersthroughoutthedaykeptthelawntoowetforcroquet.• Alan’s three-year-old is only intermittently polite to grown-ups; sometimes heanswersthequestionstheyaskhim,andsometimeshethrowsblocksatthem.

INTERSPERSE(inturSPURS) v toplaceatintervals;toscatteramong• When I plant a row of tomatoes, I always intersperse a few marigold plantsbecauseevenascatteringofmarigoldshelpstokeeppestsaway.

• The wildly unpredictable company had had periods of enormous profitabilityinterspersedwithperiodsofnear-bankruptcy.

• Theplacematsaremadeofstrawinterspersedwithribbon.


1. inquisition a. nonchalant2. insouciant b. unbearable3. insufferable c. unabletobeovercome4. insuperable d. actofopenrebellion5. insurrection e. intruder6. integral f. seeminglyunending7. interim g. meantime8. interloper h. ruthlessquestioning9. interlude i. essential10. interminable j. interveningepisode

INTERVENE(inturVEEN) v tocomebetweenopposinggroups;tomediate;totakeplace;tooccurbetweentimes

• Barryandhissistermighthavearguedallday if theirmotherhadn’t intervened;shesteppedbetweenthemandtoldthemshewouldknocktheirheadstogetheriftheydidn’tstopbickering.

• Don’thesitatetointerveneifyouseeacatcreepingtowardabird;thecatisuptonogood,andthebirdwillthankyouforbuttingin.

• Al andMikewerehavingapretty good time in their sailboat until thehurricaneintervened.

• Somuch had happened toDebbie in the intervening years that she felt a littlenervousonherwaytohertwenty-fifthhighschoolreunion.

INTIMATE(INtuhmayt) v tohintorimply• Rosie said she was fine, but her slumped, defeated-looking posture intimatedotherwise.

• AreyouintimatingthatI’mnotstrongenoughtoliftthesemeaslylittlebarbells?

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword;theadjectiveispronounced“INtuhmit.”

INTRICATE(INtruhkit) adj complicated;sophisticated;havingmanypartsorfacets• It’salwaysamistaketoputoffassemblingintricatetoysuntilChristmasEve.• Thedetailsof theagreementwereso intricate that it tookfour lawyersanentire

yeartoworkthemout.• Theintricatelycarvedprismcastabeautifulrainbowacrosstheceiling.

Thenounisintricacy(INtruhkuhsee).

INTRIGUE(INtreeg) n asecretscheme;acraftyplot• Whenthekinglearnedoftheduke’sintrigueagainsthim,hehadthedukethrownintothedungeon.

• Monica loves intrigue; she’s never happier than when she’s reading a long,complicatedspystory.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthispartofspeech;theverbispronounced“inTREEG.”

INVIDIOUS(inVIDeeus) adj causingenvyorresentment;offensivelyharmful• Under the guise of paying them a compliment, Stephanie made an invidiouscomparison between the two girls, causing them to feel jealous of each otherinsteadofflattered.

• The racist candidate brought the crowd’s simmering hatred to a boil with aninvidiousspeechinwhichhereferredtowhitesas“themasterrace.”

INVIOLATE(inVYEuhlit) adj freefrominjury;pure• The tiny church remained inviolate throughout the entire war; although bombsdroppedallaroundit,notastoneinitsfacadewasharmed.

• Hermoralsareinviolateevenafterfouryearsincollege;infact,shewasaseniorbeforesheevensawakegofbeer.

Arelatedwordisinviolable(inVYEuhluhbul),whichmeansunassailableorincapableofbeingviolated.

• There’s no such thing as an inviolable chain e-mail; sooner or later, someonealwaysbreaksthechain.

Notecarefullythemeaningandpronunciationofthesewords.

INVOKE(inVOHK) v toentreatorprayfor;tocallonasinprayer;todeclaretobeineffect

• Oops!Ijustspilledcakemixallovermymother’snewkitchencarpet.I’dbettergoinvokeherforgiveness.

• Thisdroughthas lasted forso long that I’m justabout ready to invoke theRainGod.

• The legislaturepasseda law restricting thesizeof thestate’sdeficit,but it then

neglectedtoinvokeitwhenthedeficitsoaredabovethelimit.Thenounisinvocation(invuhKAYshun).

IRIDESCENT(iriDESunt) adj displayingglowing,changingcolorsThiswordisrelatedtoiris,thecoloredpartofyoureye.

• It’s strange to think that plain old gasoline can create such a lovely iridescentsheenonthewater’ssurface.

• Anappraiser judges thequalityofanopalby itscolorand iridescence (ir iDESuns)morethanbyitssize.


1. intermittent a. secretscheme2. intersperse b. displayingglowing,changingcolors3. intervene c. prayfor4. intimate d. complicated5. intricate e. hint6. intrigue f. comebetweenopposinggroups7. invidious g. occasional8. inviolate h. causingresentment9. invoke i. placeatintervals10. iridescent j. freefrominjury

JJARGON(JAHRgun) n thespecializedlanguageorvocabularyofaparticularjobortrade;meaninglessorpretentiouslanguage;alocaldialectoridiomorvernacular

• Thiscontractisfulloflegaljargon;therearesomanyheretoforesandwhereinaftersthatIcan’tfigureoutwhereI’msupposedtosignit.

• Eversinceshewentintotherapy,Lizhasbeentalkingabouthealingnessandconnectednessandspoutingsomuchotherself-helpjargonthatit’ssometimeshardtolistentoher.

• Ifyoupadatermpaperwithbigwordsandconvolutedphrases,yourprofessormaysayyou’vebeenwritingjargon.

• WhenhevisitedatinyislandoffthecoastofFrance,Philcommented,“I’vestudiedFrenchfortwentyyears,butI’llbedamnedifIcanmakeoutawordofthejargononthisisland.”

JAUNT(jawnt) n ashortpleasuretrip

• Myuncleneverstayshomeforlong;he’salwaystakingoffonjauntstohotnewvacationspots.

Jauntcanalsobeusedasaverb.

• Ifmyunclekeepsjauntingofftoallthesehotnewvacationspots,he’llspendallthemoneyI’mhopingtoinheritfromhim.

Jaunty(JAWNtee)meanslighthearted,sprightly,ordapper.

• Thehappyyounggirlwalkeddownthestreetwithajauntystep.

JINGOISM(JINGgohizum) n belligerent,chauvinisticpatriotism;war-mongering

• Thepresident’saggressiveforeignpolicybetraysthejingoismthathidesbelowhisgenialsurface.

• Theskinheadsmarcheddownthestreet,chanting,“ForeignersGoHome!”andotherjingoistic(jinggohIStik)slogans.

JOCULAR(JAHKyuhlur) adj humorous;jolly;fondofjoking

• Evenherhusband’sjocularmooddoesn’tcheerupAngelaonherbirthday.

• Annabelle’sjocularnaturewasevidentinthegrinthatwasalmostalwaysonherface.

Themeaningofjocund(JAHKund)issimilartothatofjocular,butitisnotexactlythesame.Jocundmeanscheerful,merry,orpleasantratherthanovertlyfunny.Jocose(johKOHS)isanotherwordwithasimilarmeaning; it isslightlystrongerthanjocular. (The rootof jocosederives from theLatin for “joke,”while the rootof jocularderivesfromtheLatinfor“littlejoke.”)Ajocosemanmightbeconsideredfunnierthanajocularman,butbothwouldgiveapartyajocundatmosphere.


JUBILATION(JOObuhLAYshun) n exultantjoy

• Inanexcessofjubilationatthegoodnews,Rebeccaflungherarmsaroundatotalstranger.

• Thejubilationofthecrowdwaspalpablewhenthemayorannouncedthatthericholdladyhadgiventhetownsevenmilliondollarstowardtheconstructionofanewzoo.

Tobefilledwithjubilationistobe jubilant(JOObuhlunt).NewYear’sEvepartiesaresupposedtobejubilant.A jubilant celebration, especially one connected with an important anniversary, is ajubilee(joobuhLEE).

JUNCTION (JUNGKshun) n convergence; linkup; the act or state of being joinedtogether

• IwassupposedtoturnleftafterthejunctionofElmStreetandAppleAvenue,butIneverfoundthespotwheretheyintersected.

• Asachild,Tommyspentmostofhistimeattherailroadjunctionhopinghe’dspotapassingboxcarhecouldjumpinto.

Juncture(JUNGKchur)canmeanthesamethingas junction,butmoreoftenitreferstoanimportantpointintimeorcrucialstateofaffairs.

• “Atthisjuncture,wecan’tpredictwhenshe’llcomeoutofthecoma,”thedoctorsaidsoberly.

Conjunction(kunJUNGKshun)meansconcurrence,combination,orunion.

• TheHamRadioClubandtheChessClubareworkinginconjunctiontoprepare

thesecondannualNerds’Jamboree.

JUNTA(HOONtuh) n asmallgrouprulingacountryafteracoupd’état

• Aftertherebelshadexecutedtheking,theyinstalledajuntaofformergeneralstoleadthecountryuntilelectionscouldbeheld.

• Thefirstthingthejuntadidafterseizingpowerwastomandateicecreamatbreakfast.

• Thepresident’sprincipaladvisersweresosecretiveandsoprotectiveoftheiraccesstothepresidentthatreportersbeganreferringtothemasthejunta.


KKARMA(KAHRmuh) n goodorbademanationsfromsomeoneorsomethingInHinduorBuddhistbelief,karmahastodowiththeideathataperson’sactionsinlifedeterminehisorherfateinafutureexistence.

• “Ifyoukeeponmessingupyourrooms,”thebabysitterwarnedthechildren,“itwillbeyourkarmatocomebacktoearthasapig.”

Inpopularusage,karmaisroughlythesamethingasvibes.

• “Thishousehasanevilkarma,”thesamebabysittertoldhercharges.“Childrenwhodon’tgotobedontimeendupwithamysteriouscurseontheirheads.”

Formorevocabularyderivedfromreligion,turntoChapter9.


1. jargon a. humorous2. jaunt b. specializedlanguage3. jingoism c. goodorbademanations4. jocular d. belligerentpatriotism5. jubilation e. smallrulinggroup6. junction f. exultantjoy7. junta g. shortpleasuretrip8. karma h. convergence

LLARCENY(LAHRsuhnee) n theft;robbery

• Bill’stenpreviousconvictionsforlarcenymadethejudgeunwillingtosuspendhislatestjailsentence.

• Helpingyourselftoafewcookiesisnotexactlylarceny,butjusttryexplainingthattoAuntEdna,whobelieves that if peoplewant toeat inherhouse theyshouldbringtheirownfood.

Thestrict legaldefinitionof larceny is theftwithoutbreaking in,orwithout theuseofforce.Grandlarcenyismajortheft.Tobelarcenous(LAHRsuhnus)istobethesortofpersonwhocommitslarceny.

• AmyandTim felt almost irresistibly larcenous as theywalked through their richaunt’shouseadmiringpaintingsandantiquesthattheyhopedtoinheritsomeday;itwasall theycoulddo tokeep frombacking their carup to the frontdoorandmakingoffwithafewpiecesoffurniture.

LASCIVIOUS(luhSIVeeus) adj lustful;obscene;lewd• Clarence’s lascivious comments made his female associates extremelyuncomfortable.


LAVISH(LAVish) v tospendfreelyorbestowgenerously;tosquander• My father lavishes so many birthday presents on his relatives that they panicwhenit’stimeforthemtogivehimsomethinginreturn.

• CityHallhaslavishedmoneyonthestreet-cleaningprogram,butourstreetsaredirtierthanever.

Lavishisalsoanadjective.• Don’tyouthinkMissWoodstoneisalittletoolavishwithherpraise?Sheslatherssomuchpositivereinforcementonherstudentsthattheycan’ttakeherseriouslyatall.

LAX(laks) adj negligent;lazy;irresponsible• Mikeisaratherlaxhousekeeper;hewashesdishesbyrinsingthemincoldwaterforacoupleofsecondsandthenwavingthemgentlyintheair.

• Ihatetosayit,butCarol’sstandardsaretoo lax;anyonewhowouldhireasloblikeMikeasahousekeepercan’tbeseriousaboutwantingacleanhouse.

Thenounislaxity(LAKsitee).

LAYMAN (LAYmun) n a nonprofessional; a person who is not a member of theclergy

• Thesurgeontriedtodescribetheprocedureintermsalaymancouldunderstand,butheusedsomuchmedicaljargonthatIhadnoideawhathewastalkingabout.

• Shakiraconsideredherselfanexcellentpainter,butshewasdistinctlya layman;shecouldn’tmakemuchheadwayonanycanvasthatdidn’thavenumbersprintedonit.

Laymenareknowncollectivelyasthelaity(LAYitee).• Thenewminister triedhardto involvethe laity inhisservices;unfortunately, thelasttimealaymanpreachedasermon,hespentmostofthetimetalkingabouthisnewboat.Perhapsthat’sjusttheriskyourunwhenyouusealaypreacher.

LIAISON(LEEuhzahn) n connection;association;alliance;secretloveaffair• Inhernewjobas liaisonbetweenthesupervisorandthestaff,Annahastofieldcomplaintsfrombothsides.

• The condor breeders worked in liaison with zoo officials to set up a breedingprograminthewild.

• You mean you didn’t know that the conductor and the first violinist have beenhavinganaffair?Believeme,thatliaisonhasbeengoingonforyears.


LICENTIOUS(lyeSENshus) adj lascivious;lewd;promiscuous;amoral• Barney’sreputationasa licentiousrakemakesthemothersofteenagegirlslocktheirdoorswhenhewalksdownthestreet.

• Ashley said the hot new novel was deliciously licentious, but I found the sexscenestobedullandpredictable.

Theactorstateofbeing licentiousis licentiousness.ThePuritanssaw licentiousnessalmosteverywhere.


LIMPID(LIMpid) adj transparent;clear;lucid• Theriverflowingpastthechemicalplantisn’texactlylimpid;infact,it’sasopaqueaspaint,whichisapparentlyoneofitsprincipalingredients.

• Theodora’spoetryhasalimpidqualitythatmakesotherwriters’effortssoundstiffandoverformal.

• Inbadwriting,eyesareoftendescribedas“limpidpools.”

LISTLESS(LISTlis) adj sluggish;withoutenergyorenthusiasm• You’vebeenactinglistlesstoday.Areyousureyou’refeelingwell?• The children had been dragged to so many museums that by the time theyreachedthedinosaurexhibit,theirresponsewasdisappointinglylistless.

• Harry’s listless prose style constantly threatens to put his readers soundly tosleep.

Thenounislistlessness.

LITANY(LITunee) n recitalorlist;tediousrecounting• Ruth’s litany of complaints about her marriage to Tom is longer than mostchildren’sletterstoSanta.

• She’ssodefensivethatifshesuspectsevenahintofcriticism,shelaunchesintoalitanyofheraccomplishments.

QuickQuiz#53Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.Checkyouranswershere.Notethat“lewd”istheanswerfortwoquestions.

1. larceny a. negligent2. lascivious b. theft3. lavish c. connection4. lax d. nonprofessional5. layman e. tospendfreely6. liaison f. lewd(2)7. licentious g. tediousrecounting8. limpid h. transparent9. listless i. sluggish10. litany

LIVID(LIVid) adj discolored;blackandblue;enraged• ProofofGeorge’sclumsinesscouldbeseeninhislividshins;hebumpedintosomanythingsashewalkedthathislowerlegsweredeeplybruised.

• When Christopher heard that his dog had chewed up his priceless stampcollection,hebecamelivid,andhenearlythrewthepoordogthroughthewindow.

People often use livid tomean pale, which is almost the opposite of what thewordreallymeans.When you see a ghost, your face does not become livid; it becomes

pallid.

LOATH(lohth) adj extremelyunwilling;reluctant• Edward was loath to stir out of his house on the freezing cold morning, eventhoughhehadsigneduptotakepartinthePolarBearClub’sannualswim.

• I am loath to pull my finger out of the dike, because I am afraid that thecountrysidewillfloodifIdo.

Loath is an adjective that describes a person’smood.Loathsome is an adjective todescribesomeoneorsomethingthoroughlydisgustingorrepellent.

• ColdwaterissoloathsometoEdwardthatnooneknowswhyheevenjoinedthePolarBearClub.

Don’tconfuseloathwithloathe,whichisaverbmeaningtodespiseorhate.• Iloatheeggplantineveryform.ItissoloathsometomethatIwon’tevenlookatit.

LOBBY(LAHBee) v tourgelegislativeaction;toexertinfluence• The Raisin Growers’ Union has been lobbying Congress to make raisins thenationalfruit.

• CouldIpossiblylobbyyouforamomentaboutthepossibilityofturningyouryardintoaparkinglot?

Apersonwholobbiesisalobbyist(LAHBeeist).Alobbyistworksforaspecialinterestgroup,orlobby.

• ThelobbyistheldhisthumbupasthesenatorwalkedpassedhimtoindicatehowthesenatorwassupposedtovoteonthebillthatwasthenbeforetheSenate.

LOUT(lowt) n boor;oaf;clod• The visiting professor had been expecting to teach a graduate seminar, butinsteadhefoundhimselfstuckwithaclassoffreshmanloutswhoscarcelyknewhowtowritetheirownnames.

• That stupid lout has no idea how to dance. I think he brokemy foot when hesteppedonit.

Tobealoutoractlikealoutistobeloutish.• Jake’sloutishtablemannersdisgusteveryoneexcepthisseven-year-oldnephew,whoalsopreferstochewwithhismouthopen.

LUDICROUS(LOOdikrus) adj ridiculous;absurd• ItwasludicrousformetohaveexpectedmythreepuppiestobehavethemselveswhileIwasout;everypairofshoesIownhasbecomeachewtoy.

• Wearglassslippers toaball?Why, the idea is ludicrous!One falsedancestep

andtheywouldshatter.

LYRICAL(LIRikul) adj melodious;songlike;poeticLyricsarethewordstoasong,butlyricalcanbeusedtoapplytootherthings.

• Eventhesoundoftrafficislyricaltothetruecitylover.• Albert is almost lyrical on the subject of baked turnips, which he prefers to allotherfoods.

• TheJeffersons’lyricaldescriptionofthetwo-weekvacationinScotlandmadetheWashingtonswanttopacktheirbagsandtakeoffonaScottishvacationoftheirown.


1. livid a. extremelyunwilling2. loath b. ridiculous3. lobby c. blackandblue4. lout d. oaf5. ludicrous e. melodious6. lyrical f. urgelegislativeaction

MMALAPROPISM (MALuhprahp izum) n humorousmisuseofaword thatsoundssimilartothewordintendedbuthasaludicrouslydifferentmeaningInRichardSheridan’s1775play,TheRivals,acharacternamedMrs.Malapropcallssomeone“thepineappleofpoliteness” insteadof “thepinnacleofpoliteness.” InMrs.Malaprop’s honor, similar verbal boo-boos are known as malapropisms. Anothermasterof themalapropismwasEmilyLitella,acharacterplayedbyGildaRadneronthe television showSaturdayNight Live, who thought it was ridiculous for people tocomplainthattherewas“toomuchviolins”ontelevision.Incidentally,SheridanderivedMrs.Malaprop’sname frommalapropos,aFrench import thatmeansnotaproposornotappropriate.Seeourlistingforapropos.

MANIA(MAYneeuh) n crazed,excessiveexcitement;insanity;delusion• AtChristmastime,atemporarymaniadescendedonourhouseasMotherspenthour after hour stirring pots on the stove, Father raced around town deliveringpresents,andwechildrenworkedourselvesintoafeverofexcitementaboutwhatwehopedtoreceivefromSantaClaus.

• Molly’smania for cleanlinessmakes the house uncomfortable—especially sinceshereplacedthebedsheetswithplasticdropcloths.

• Themania of theRomanemperorCaliguladisplayed itself inways thatare toounpleasanttotalkabout.

Apersonwithamaniaissaidtobeamaniac(MAYneeak).• Molly, the woman with themania for cleanliness, could also be said to be amaniacforcleanliness,ortobeacleanlinessmaniac.

Amaniac is oftensaid tobemaniacal (muhNYEuh kul).Amaniacal football coachmightorderhisplayers tosleepwith footballsunder theirpillows,so that theywoulddreamonlyoffootball.Apersonwithamaniacanalsobesaidtobemanic(MANik).Amanic-depressiveisapersonwhoalternatesbetweenperiodsofexcessiveexcitementanddeepdepression.Amanic tennis player is onewho rushes frantically around the court as though hershoeswereonfire.


MARGINAL(MAHRjuhnul) adj relatedtoorlocatedatthemarginorborder;atthelowerlimitofquality;insignificant

• The marginal notes in Sue’s high school Shakespeare books are really

embarrassing to her now, especially the spot in Romeo and Juliet where shewrote,“Howprofound!”

• Mrs.Hoadlymanagestoekeoutamarginalexistencesellingtheeggsherthreechickenslay.

• Samsatisfied themarginal requirements for the job,buthecertainlydidn’tbringanythingmoreinthewayoftalentorinitiative.

• Thedifferenceinqualitybetweenthesetwohandtowelsisonlymarginal.Apersonwhojustmanagestoqualifyforsomethingmaybesaidtoqualifyfor itonlymarginally.

• Arniewasmarginallybetteroffafterhereceivedaten-dollar-per-weekraise.

MATERIALISTIC (muhtireeul IS tik) adj preoccupiedwithmaterial things; greedyforpossessions

• All young children are innocentlymaterialistic; when they see something thatlooksinteresting,theydon’tseewhytheyshouldn’thaveit.

• Thematerialistic bride-to-be registered for wedding presents at every store intown,includingthediscountpharmacy.

• People are always going on and on about today’smaterialistic society, but thecravingtoownmorestuffhasprobablybeenwithussinceprehistorictimes.

MAWKISH(MAWkish) adj overlysentimental;maudlin• It’shardtobelievethatTrudy’smawkishgreetingcardverseshavemadehersomuchmoney; I guess people really do like their greeting cards to be filledwithmushysentiments.

• Iwouldhavelikedthatmoviealotbetterifthedog’sdeathscene,inwhichalonglineofcandle-bearingmournerswindspasttheshroudeddoghouse,hadn’tbeensomawkish.

MEANDER(meeANdur) v totravelalongawindingor indirectroute;torambleorstrayfromthetopic

• SinceIhadn’twantedtogotothepartyinthefirstplace,Ijustmeanderedthroughtheneighborhood,walkinguponestreetanddownanother,untilIwasprettysureeveryonehadgonehome.

• Therivermeandersacrossthelandscapeinaseriesofgentlecurves.• ProfessorJonesdeliveredameanderinglecturethattouchedonseveralhundreddistincttopics,includingTina’shairstyle,thedisappearanceofthedinosaurs,Latingrammar,andquantummechanics.

MEDIUM (MEE dee um) n the means by which something is conveyed oraccomplished;a substance throughwhich something is transferredor conveyed; the

materialsusedbyanartist• Wearetryingtodecidewhetherprintortelevisionwillbeabettermediumforthisadvertisement.

• Coaxialcableisthemediumbywhichcabletelevisionprogrammingisdistributedtoviewers.

• Philisanunusualartist;hispreferredmediumissandmixedwithcornsyrup.The plural ofmedium ismedia. When people talk about themedia, they’re usuallytalking about the communications media: television, newspapers, radio, andmagazines.

• Themediainstantlyseizedonthetrial’sluriddetails.In careful usage,media takesaplural verb, evenwhen theword is beingused in acollectivesenseastheroughequivalentofpress.

• Themediahavearesponsibilitytoreportthefactsfairlyandwithoutfavor.

MELANCHOLY(MELunkahlee) adj gloomy;depressedandweary• Thomas always walks around with as melancholy an expression as he canmanage, because he thinks that a gloomy appearance will make him seemmysteriousandinterestingtogirls.

• Themelancholy music in the restaurant basically killed what was left of myappetite;thesongsmademefeelsosadIdidn’twanttoeat.

Melancholyisalsoanoun.• Thespiderwebsanddeadleavesfestooningtheweddingcakebroughtatouchofmelancholytothecelebration.

Thealternativeadjectivemelancholic(MELunkahl ik)andnounmelancholia (melunKOHleeuh)areoccasionallyheard.


MELEE (MAY lay) n a brawl; a confused fight or struggle; a violent free-for-all;tumultuousconfusion

• Amelee broke out on the football field as our defeated players vented theirfrustrationsbystickingtheirtonguesoutattheotherteam’scheerleaders.

• Inallthemeleeofshopperstryingtogetthroughthefrontdoorofthedepartmentstore,Igotseparatedfrommyfriend.


MENAGERIE(muhNAJuhree) n acollectionofanimals

In olden times, kings kept royalmenageries of exotic animals. These were the firstzoos.

• ThePetersonshavequiteamenagerieat theirhousenowthatboththecatandthedoghavehadbabies.

• Dougreferredtohisofficeas“themenagerie”becausehisco-workersactedlikeanimals.


1. malapropism a. travelalongawindingroute2. mania b. humorousmisuseofaword3. marginal c. themeansbywhichsome-thingisconveyed4. materialistic d. preoccupiedwithmaterialthings5. mawkish e. crazedexcitement6. meander f. gloomy7. medium g. insignificant8. melancholy h. overlysentimental9. melee i. collectionofanimals10. menagerie j. brawl

MILLENNIUM(miLENeeum) n aperiodof1,000years;athousandthanniversary• Purists say that the newmillennium began in 2001, but the fear ofwidespreadcomputerproblemsactuallymade2000themoreimportantnewyear.

• InthefirstmillenniumafterthebirthofChrist,humankindmadegreatprogress—but pre-sweetened cereals didn’t appear until close to the end of the secondmillennium.

Theadjectiveismillennial(miLENeeul).

MIRE(myre) n marshy,muckyground• Walkingthroughthemireinstilettoheelsisnotagoodidea;yourshoesareliabletobecomestuckinthemuck.

• Somanycarshaddriveninandoutofthefieldthatthegrasshadturnedtomire.Mirecanalsobeusedasaverbwhosesensecanbeeitherliteralorfigurative.

• Thehorsesweresomiredinthepasturethattheycouldn’tgoanotherstep.• I’d loveto joinyoutonight,butI’mafraidI’mmired inasewingprojectandcan’t

getaway.Aquagmireisaswampormarshor,figuratively,acomplicatedpredicament.

• They say that twenty people sank into thequagmire behind Abel’sWoods andtheirbodieswereneverfound.

• Becauseshewasafraidthateveryonewouldhateherifshetoldthetruth,Louiseentangledherselfinaquagmireofliesandhalf-truths,andeverybodyhatedher.

MODE(mohd) n methodofdoing;type;manner;fashion• Lannie’smodeofeconomizingistospendlotsofmoneyontop-qualityitemsthatshethinkswilllastlongerthancheapones.

• Whenabig tree fell across thehighway,Dracoshiftedhis Jeep into four-wheelmodeandtookoffacrosscountry.

• I’mnotinterestedindressinginthelatestmode;abarrelandapairofflipflopsarefashionableenoughforme.

MODULATE(MAHJuhlayt) v toreduceorregulate;tolessentheintensityof• Please modulate your voice, dear! A well-bred young lady doesn’t screamobscenitiesatthetopofherlungs.

• Milhousemodulated his sales pitch when he realized that the hard sell wasn’tgettinghimanywhere.


MOMENTUM(muhMENtum) n forceofmovement;speed;impetus• The locomotive’smomentum carried it through the tunnel and into the railroadterminal.

• Shestartsout small,with just a littlewhimpering.Thenherbadmoodpicksupmomentum,andinnotimeatallshe’slyingonthefloorkickingandscreaming.

• Evenwhen they’rebothbeingdrivenat the samespeed,abig car isharder tostopthanasmallonebecausethebigcarhasmoremomentum.

MORATORIUM(mawruhTAWReeum) n asuspensionofactivity;aperiodofdelay• The president of the beleaguered company declared a moratorium on thepurchase of office supplies, hoping that themoney saved by not buying paperclipsmighthelptokeepthecompanyinbusinessalittlebitlonger.

• The two countries agreed to amoratorium on the production of new nuclearweaponswhiletheirleadersstruggledtoworkoutthetermsofapermanentban.

MORES(MAWRayz) n customarymoralstandards• According to themoresof thatcountry,womenwhowear revealingclothingare

lewdandlicentious.Thisnounisalwaysplural.


MOTIF(mohTEEF) n arecurringthemeoridea• ThecentralmotifinBarry’sfirstnovelseemstobethatguysnamedBarryaretoosensitiveforotherpeopletoappreciatefully.

• Andrea’snewapartmentisokay-looking,butitwouldbemoreimpressiveifowlsweren’tthemaindecorativemotif.

MOTLEY(MAHTlee) adj extremelyvariedordiverse;heterogeneous;multicolored• Louise’sfriendsareamotleygroupofartists,bankers,andsanitationengineers.• Oneglanceatherdate’smotley tuxedoconvincedCathythatshedidn’twant togo to thepromafter all; the jacket lookedmore like a quilt than like a pieceofformalclothing.

MUNICIPAL(myooNISuhpul) adj pertainingtoacity(ortown)anditsgovernment• All themunicipalswimmingpoolsclosedafterLaborDaybecausethecitydidn’thavethestafftokeepthemopenanylonger.

• Thetownplanstobuildamunicipalbirdhousetokeepitspigeonsoffthestreets.Amunicipality(myoonisuhPALuhtee)isadistinctcityortown,andusuallyonethathasitsowngovernment.Thegovernmentofsuchacityortownisoftenreferredtoasamunicipalgovernment.

MUSE(myooz) v toponder;tomeditate• “I wonder whether I’ll win the flower-arranging prize,” Melaniemused, staringpensivelyathervasefulofrosesandlicoricesticks.

• Fredmeant to get somework done, but instead he sat at his deskmusing allafternoon,andthenitwastimetogohome.

Musecanalsobeanoun.InGreekmythology,thenineMuseswerepatrongoddessesofthearts.Inmodernusage,amuseisanyonewhoinspiresanartist’screativity.

• “Beatrice,youaremymuse.Youinspireallmybestpoetry,”Johnsaidtohispetguineapig.

Tobebemusedistobepreoccupiedorengrossed.• Charliewas toobemused tonotice thatwine fromaspilledgobletwasdrippingintohislap.

MUSTER(MUStur) v toassembleforbattleorinspection;tosummonup

• The camp counselormustered the girls in her cabin for bunk inspection. Shereallyhadtomusterupallhercouragetodoit,becausethegirlsweresorowdytheyneverdidwhat she told them.Luckily, the cabinpassedmuster; thecampdirectornevernoticedthedustunderthebeds.

“Topassmuster”isanidiomaticexpressionthatmeanstobefoundtobeacceptable.

MYSTIC(MIStik) adj otherworldly;mysterious;enigmatic• Theswirlingfogandtheloomingstalactitesgavethecaveamysticaura,andwefeltasthoughwe’dstumbledintoArthuriantimes.

Awordessentiallyidenticalinmeaningismystical(MIStikul).• Thefaint,far-offtrillingoftherecordergavethemusicamysticalquality.

Mysticcanalsobeanoun.Amystic isapersonwhohas,orseemstohave,contactwithotherworlds.

• Michaela theMystic stared intohercloudedcrystalballand remarked, “Time togetouttheWindex.”

Mysticism (MIS tuh siz um) is thepracticeor spiritual disciplineof trying to reachorunderstandGodthroughdeepmeditation.


1. meticulous a. methodofdoing2. millennium b. reduceorregulate3. mire c. extremelyvaried4. mode d. forceofmovement5. modulate e. periodofonethousandyears6. momentum f. recurringtheme7. moratorium g. preciseandcarefulaboutdetails8. mores h. otherworldly9. motif i. customarymoralstandards10. motley j. marshy,muckyground11. municipal k. assembleforbattle12. muse l. ponder13. muster m. suspensionofactivity14. mystic n. pertainingtoacityortown

NNEBULOUS(NEByuhlus) adj vagueorindistinct;unclear;hazy

• Jake’sideasaboutacareerarealittlenebulousatthispoint.Hesayshewantstohaveajobthatwillentitlehimtohaveatelephoneonhisdesk,butthat’sallhe’sfiguredoutsofar.

• Thestagelightingwassopoorthatyoucouldseeonlyafewnebulousoutlinesoftheset.

Anebula (NEByuh luh) isacloudof interstellargasanddust,and fromourvantagepointhereonearth,itisjustaboutasnebulousasyoucanget.Thepluralofnebulaisnebulae(NEByuhlee).

Notecarefullythislastpronunciation.

NEMESIS (NEM uh sis) n unconquerable opponent or rival; one who seeks justcompensationorrevengetorightawrong

• InGreekmythology,Nemesiswas thegoddessofdivine retribution. Ifyouweredueforapunishment,shemadesureyougotit.

• Nacho-flavoredtortillachipsarethedieter’snemesis;onebite,andyoudon’tstopeatingtillthebagisgone.

• Betsyfinallymethernemesis, in theformofa teacherwhowouldn’tacceptanyexcuses.

NEOPHYTE(NEEuhfyte) n beginner;novice• Thestudentlibrarianwassuchaneophytethatshereshelvedallthebooksupsidedown.

• I’mnotbeingfussy.Ijustdon’tliketheideaofhavingmycraniumsawnopenbyaneophytesurgeon!

Theprefix“neo”meansnew,recent,orrevived.Aneologism (neeAHluh jizum), forexample,isanewwordoranoldwordusedinanewway.Aneonate(NEEohnayt)isanewborn.Neoprene(NEEuhpreen)isanewkindofsyntheticrubber—oratleastitwasnewwhenitwasinvented.(It’sthestuffthatwetsuitsaremadeof.)


NIRVANA(nurVAHnuh) n ablissful,painless,worry-freestateAccordingtoBuddhisttheology,youreachnirvanaonceyouhavepurgedyoursoulof

hatred,passion,andself-delusion.Onceyouhavereachednirvana,youwillnolongerhavetoundergothecycleofreincarnation.

IncommonEnglishusage,theword’smeaningislooser,andnirvanaoftenreferstoamentalstateratherthanaphysicalone.

• Thoughmanythoughttheband’ssoundwasannoying,listeningtoitsentmetoastateofpurenirvana.

• Nirvana forJudyconsistedofahotbubblebathandahot fudgesundaeat theendofalongday.

Formorevocabularyderivedfromreligion,turntoChapter9.

NOISOME(NOYsum) adj offensiveordisgusting;stinking;noxious• WhenIopenedtherefrigeratorafterreturningfromvacation,suchanoisomeodorleapedoutatmethatIboltedfromtheapartment.

• Thenoisomebrown liquidseepingoutof thefloorofmybathroomcertainly isn’twater.Atanyrate,itdoesn’ttastelikewater.

Notecarefullythemeaningofthisword;ithasnothingtodowith“noise.”

NOMADIC (nohMAD ik) adj wandering from place to place;without a permanenthomeAnomad(NOHmad)isoneofagroupofwanderingpeoplewhomovefromplacetoplaceinsearchoffoodandwaterforthemselvesandfortheiranimals.TheBedouins,membersofvariousArabtribesthatwanderthedesertsofNorthAfricaandelsewhere,arenomads.Tobenomadicistobelikeanomad.

• Lilaspenthersenioryearlivinginatentwithanomadictribeofsheepherders.• Eversincehegraduatedfromcollege,mybrotherhasbeenlivinganomadiclife;hisonlyhomeishiscar,andhemovesiteveryday.

NOMENCLATURE(NOHmunklaychur) n asetorsystemofnames;adesignation;aterminology

• I’dbecomeabotanist inaminute,except that I’dneverbeable tomemorizeallthatbotanicnomenclature.

In theBible,Adaminventednomenclaturewhenhegaveall theanimalsnames.Youcould call him theworld’s firstnomenclator (NOHmun klay tur). Anomenclator is agiverofnames.

NONCHALANT(nonshuhLAHNT) adj indifferent;coollyunconcerned;blasé• Omarwas acting awfullynonchalant for someonewho had just been invited to

dinnerattheWhiteHouse;hewasyawningandusingacorneroftheinvitationtocleanhisnails.

• “Idon’tcarethatmycarwasstolen,”Blancasaid inanonchalantvoice.“Daddywillbuymeanewone.”

• Unconcernedwithalltheworryhisdisappearancehadcaused,thecatsatdownandnonchalantlybegantowashhisface.

Thenounisnonchalance.

NULLIFY(NULuhfye) v torepeal;tocancel;tovoidNullmeansemptyorineffective.Inmathanullsetisasetwithoutnumbers.Tonullifymeanstomakeemptyorineffective.

• Amomentafter theceremony, thebrideaskeda lawyer tonullify theprenuptialcontractshehadsignedthedaybefore;shenolongerfeltthat$50,000amonthinalimonywouldbeenough.

• It’s hard to believe that Saudi Arabia still hasn’t nullified the law that prohibitswomentodrive.

Toannulistocancelormakevoidamarriageoralaw.


1. nebulous a. wanderingfromplacetoplace2. nemesis b. vague3. neophyte c. blissful,worry-freestate4. nirvana d. systemofnames5. noisome e. downfall6. nomadic f. repeal7. nomenclature g. indifferent8. nonchalant h. beginner9. nullify i. offensiveordisgusting

OOBEISANCE(ohBAYsuns) n aboworcurtsy;deepreverence

• Whenthesubstituteteacherwalkedintotheroom,theentireclassrosetoitsfeetinmockingobeisancetoher.

• “You’llhave toshowmeobeisanceonce I’melectedqueenof theprom,”Dianaproclaimedtoherservileroommates,whopromisedthattheywould.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword,whichisrelatedtothewordsobedienceandobey.

OBJECTIVE(ahbJEKtiv) adj unbiased;unprejudiced• It’s hard for me to be objective about her musical talent because she’s mydaughter.

• Although the judges at the automobile showwere supposed tomake objectivedecisions,theydisplayedadefinitebiasagainstcarswithtackyhoodornaments.

Someonewhoisobjectiveissaidtohaveobjectivity(ahbjekTIVuhtee).Objectivecanalsobeanoun,inwhichcaseitmeansgoal,destination,oraim.

• My life’soneobjective is tosee thatmy fatherneverembarrassesme inpublicagain.

Theoppositeofobjectiveissubjective.

OBTRUSIVE(ubTROOsiv) adj interfering;meddlesome;havingatendencytobuttin

• Iliketowalkupanddownthehallsofmydormcheckinguponmyfriends’gradesafter midterms. People call me obtrusive, but I think of myself as caring andinterested.

• Thetasteofanchovieswouldbeobtrusive inabirthdaycake;itwouldgetinthewayoftheflavorofthecake.

Theverbisobtrude,whichisrelatedtotheverbintrude.

OBVIATE(AHBveeayt) v tomakeunnecessary;toavert• TheirmovetoFloridaobviatedtheneedforheavywinterclothes.• Myworriesaboutwhattodoaftergraduationwereobviatedbymyfailingthreeofmyfinalexams.

• Robertobviatedhisarrest for taxevasionbyhandingablank check to the IRSexaminerandtellinghimtofillinanyamountheliked.

OCCULT(uhKULT) adj supernatural;magic;mystical• Idon’tmindhavingaroommatewho’s interested inoccult rituals,but Idrawthelineatherburningchickenfeathersundermybed.

• There’sastoreonMapleStreetcalledWitch-O-Rama; itsellscrystalballs, lovepotions,andotheroccultsupplies.

Occultcanalsobeanoun.• Marie has been interested in the occult ever since her stepmother turned herbutlerintoagerbil.

Occultcanalsobepronounced“AHkult.”

ODIOUS(OHdeeus) adj hateful;evil;vile• Donwontheelectionbystoopingtosomeofthemostodioustricksinthehistoryofpolitics.

Odium(OHdeeum)ishatred,deepcontempt,ordisgrace.

ODYSSEY(AHDuhsee) n along,difficultjourney,usuallymarkedbymanychangesoffortuneInHomer’sepicpoemTheOdyssey,OdysseusspendstenyearsstrugglingtoreturntohishomeinIthaca,andwhenhefinallyarrives,onlyhisdogrecognizeshim.Inmodernusage,anodysseyisanylonganddifficultjourney.

• Any adolescentmaking the odyssey into adulthood should have a room of hisown,preferablyonethat’snotpartofhisparents’house.

• Myquicktripupto thecornerhardwarestoretobuyanewshowerheadturnedinto a day-long odyssey that took me to every plumbing-supply store in themetropolitanarea.

OLFACTORY(ahlFAKturee) adj pertainingtothesenseofsmell• Thatstew’sappealisprimarilyolfactory;itsmellsgreat,butitdoesn’thavemuchtaste.

• Ihaveasensitiveolfactorynerve.Ican’tbearoundcigarettes,onions,orpeoplewithbadbreath.

For a related word, see our entry for gustatory. It’s much like olfactory, but for thesenseoftaste.

OLIGARCHY(AHLuhgahrkee) n governmentbyonlyaveryfewpeople• They’ve set upa virtualoligarchy in that country; threemenaremaking all thedecisionsfortwentymillionpeople.

• WheneverRick’sparentstellhimthatthey’reinchargeofthefamily,hetellsthemthathecan’tsurviveunderanoligarchy.

Anoligarch(AHLuhgahrk)isoneofthefewrulingleaders.

OMINOUS(AHMuhnus) adj threatening;menacing;portendingdoom• Thesky looksominous thisafternoon; thereareblackclouds in thewest,and Ithinkitisgoingtorain.

• Mrs.Lewis’svoicesoundedominouswhenshetoldtheclassthatitwastimeforalittletest.

Thiswordisrelatedtoomen.


1. obeisance a. makeunnecessary2. objective b. unbiased3. obtrusive c. pertainingtothesenseofsmell4. obviate d. threatening5. occult e. deepreverence6. odious f. governmentbyonlyaveryfewpeople7. odyssey g. interfering8. olfactory h. long,difficultjourney9. oligarchy i. hateful10. ominous j. supernatural

OMNISCIENT(ahmNISHunt) adj all-knowing;havinginfinitewisdomOmni-isaprefixmeaningall.Tobeomnipotent(ahmNIPuhtunt)istobeall-powerful.An omnivorous (ahm NIV ur us) animal eats all kinds of food, including meat andplants.Somethingomnipresent(AHMniprezunt)seemstobeeverywhere.InMarch,mudisomnipresent.

“Sci” is aword rootmeaning knowledge or knowing.Prescient (PRESH unt)meansknowingbeforehand;nescient(NESHunt)meansnotknowing,orignorant.

• WhenLucywasasmallchild,shethoughtherparentswereomniscient.Nowthatshe’sateenager,sherealizestheydon’tknowanythingatall.

• Thenovel’snarratorhasanomniscientpointofview,sohispartsoftencluethereaderintothingsthecharactersinthestorydon’tknow.


OPPROBRIOUS(uhPROHbreeus) adj damning;extremelycritical;disgraceful• Theprincipalgaveanopprobriouslectureaboutapathy,sayingthatthestudents’uncaringattitudewasruiningtheschool.

Opprobrium(uhPROHbreeum)isreproach,scorn,ordisgrace.• Penny brought opprobrium on herself by robbing the First National Bank andspraypaintingnaughtywordsonitsmarblewalls.


ORDINANCE(AWRduhnuns) n law;regulation;decree• I’m sorry, but you’ll have to put your bathing suit back on; the town passed anordinanceagainstnudeswimmingatthisbeach.

• Accordingtoahundred-year-oldlocalordinance,twoormorepeoplestandingonastreetcornerconstitutesariot.

Don’tconfuseordinancewithordnance(AWRDnuns).Ordnanceismilitaryweaponsorartillery.

OSCILLATE(AHSuhlayt) v toswingbackandforth;topulsate;towaverorvacillatebetweenbeliefsorideas

• We watched the hypnotist’s pendulum oscillate before our eyes, and soon webecamesleepy.

• Mrs. Johnson can’tmake up hermind how to raise her children; sheoscillatesbetweenstrictnessandlaxitydependingonwhatkindofmoodshe’sin.

OSMOSIS(ahsMOHsis) n gradualorsubtleabsorptionInscience,osmosis is thediffusionofa fluid throughamembrane. It isosmosis thatcontrolstheflowofliquidsinandoutofcells.Ingeneralusage,osmosisisafigurativeinstanceofabsorption.

• Ilearnedmyjobbyosmosis;IabsorbedtheknowledgeIneededfromthepeopleworkingaroundme.

OSTRACIZE (AHS truh syze) v to shun; to shut out or exclude a person from agroup

• After she’d tattled to the counselor about her bed being short-sheeted, Traceewasostracizedbytheothergirlsinthecabin;theywouldn’tspeaktoher,andtheywouldn’tletherjoininanyoftheirgames.

• Thatpooroldmanhasbeenostracizedbyourtownforlongenough;I’mgoingtovisithimtoday.

Theactofostracizingiscalledostracism(AHStruhsizum).• Carl’slettertotheeditoradvocatingacutintheschoolbudgetledtohisostracismbytheeducationalcommittee.

OUST(owst) v toeject;toexpel;tobanish• Robbie was ousted from the Cub Scouts for forgetting his Cub Scout manualthirty-seventimes.

• IfthepatronsatO’Reilly’sgetrowdy,thebartenderouststhemwithasimplefoot-to-behindmaneuver.

Aninstanceofoustingiscalledanouster(OWstur).• After thepresident’sousterbyanangrymob, thevicepresidentmoved intohisofficeandlitoneofhiscigars.

OVERRIDE(OHvurryde) v tooverrule;toprevailover• Thelegislaturethreatenedtooverride thegovernor’svetoof thebillcreatingthestate’sfirstincometax.

• Mymotheroverrodemydecisiontomoveintomygirlfriend’shouse.• Greedoverrodecommonsenseyesterdayasthousandsoffrenziedpeopledrovethroughamajorblizzardtocatchthepost-holidaysales.

OVERTURE(OHvurchur) n openingmove;preliminaryofferInmusic,anovertureisacompositionthatintroducesalargerwork,oftenbyweavingtogetherbitsandpiecesofwhatistocome.(Mostpeoplethinkit’sokaytotalkthroughtheoverture,eventhoughit’snot.)Outsideofmusic,thewordhasarelatedbutdistinctmeaning.

• The zoo bought a newmale gorilla named Izzy tomatewith Sukey, its femalegorilla, but Sukey flatly rejected Izzy’s romantic overtures, and no new gorillaswereborn.

• Atcontracttime,management’soverturetotheunionwasinstantlyrejected,sincetheworkershaddecidedtoholdoutforsignificantlyhigherwages.

OXYMORON(ahkseeMAWRahn) n afigureofspeechinwhichtwocontradictorywordsorphrasesareusedtogether“My girlfriend’s sweet cruelty” is an example of an oxymoron. Other examples ofoxymorons are “jumbo shrimp,” “fresh-squeezed juice from concentrate,” and “liverecording.”


Checkyouranswershere.1. omniscient a. excludefromagroup2. opprobrious b. swingbackandforth3. ordinance c. eject4. oscillate d. damning5. osmosis e. gradualorsubtleabsorption6. ostracize f. law7. oust g. figureofspeechlinkingtwocontradictorywords

orphrases8. override h. all-knowing9. overture i. openingmove10. oxymoron j. prevailover

PPALATABLE(PALuhtuhbul) adj pleasanttothetaste;agreeabletothefeelings

• You can certainly drink hot chocolate with lobster soufflé if you want to, butchampagnemightbeamorepalatablealternative.

• Rather than telling Frank that his essaywasworthless, Hilary told him that hisessaywas not quite worthy of his talents; by diluting her criticism shemade itmorepalatabletoFrank.

Thewordpalate(PALut)refersbothtotheroofofthemouthand,morecommonly,tothesenseoftaste.Agourmetissaidtohaveafinelydevelopedpalate;someonewhofindseventhemostexoticfoodsboringissaidtohaveajaundicedpalate.

PALLOR(PALur) n paleness;whiteness• Regina’sghostlypallorcanmeanonlyonething:Shejustcaughtsightofherblinddatefortheevening.

• The pediatrician was concerned by the child’s pallor but could find no othersymptomsofillness.

In the 19th century, a pallid (PAL ud) look was fashionable among European andAmerican women. To maintain an attractive pallor, women kept out of the sun andsometimestookdrugstolightentheircomplexions.

PANDEMIC(panDEMik) adj prevalentthroughoutalargearea• The Black Plague was virtually pandemic throughout Europe during the 14thcentury.

• Cheating was pandemic on the campus of the military academy; cadets werecarryingmorecribsheetsthanbooks.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.Apandemic isanepidemic (ep iDEM ik)ona largerscale.

• Theshortageofvaccineturnedthewinterfluepidemicintoapandemic.LiketheLatin“omni,”theGreekprefix“pan”meansall.Apanacea(panuhSEEuh)isacureforallills.Apanoramic(pahuhRAMik)viewisonethatseemstosurroundyou.The Pan-American Games are open to contestants from throughout the WesternHemisphere.

Aclosely relatedword isendemic (enDEM ik),whichmeanspeculiar toaparticularplaceorpeople.

PANEGYRIC(paniJIRik) n elaboratepraise;eulogy

• AstheSovietofficial’sbriefintroductoryspeechturnedintoathree-hourpanegyricontheaccomplishmentsofLenin,themembersoftheaudiencebegantosnoozeintheirseats.

• Danhasbeeninadvertisingfortoolong;hecan’tsayhelikessomethingwithoutescalatingintopanegyric.

• “Allthesepanegyricsareembarrassingme,” liedtheactressatthedinnerinherhonor.

PARABLE(PARuhbul) n religiousallegory;fable;moralitytale• The story of the tortoise and the hare is a parable about the importance ofpersistenteffort.

• Early religious lessons were often given in the form of parables because thestoriesmadethelessonseasiertounderstand.

PARAGON(PARuhgahn) n amodelorpatternofexcellence• Irene isa suchaparagon of virtue that noneof her classmates can standher;theycallheragoody-goody.

• Thenewmanualisunusualinthecomputerworldinthatit isaparagonofclearwriting;afterreadingit,youunderstandexactlyhowthesoftwareworks.

• MarionamedhisfledglingrestaurantParagonPizza,hopingthatthenamewouldmakepeoplethinkhispizzaswerebetterthantheyactuallywere.

PARALLEL(PARuhlel) adj similar;comparable• Beforetheylearntocooperate,youngchildrenoftenengageinwhatpsychologistscall parallel play; rather than playing one game together, they play separategamessidebyside.

• BillandMarthahaveparallelinterestsintheyard;Bill’sfavoriteactivityismowing,andMartha’sispruning.

Parallelcanalsobeanoun,inwhichcaseitreferstosomethingidenticalorsimilarinessential respects. Pessimistic economists sometimes say that there are manydisturbingparallelsbetweentoday’seconomyandtheGreatDepressionofthethirties.

Parallelcanalsobeaverb.Tosaythattwomurdercasesparalleleachotheristosaythattheyaresimilarinmanyways.

PARANOIA(paruhNOYuh) n amentalillnessinwhichthesuffererbelievespeopleareouttogethim;unreasonableanxiety

• Margaret’sparanoiahas increasedto thepointatwhichshewon’tevenset footout of the house because she is afraid that the people walking by are foreignagentsonamissiontoassassinateher.

• Worryingthatoneisgoingtodiesomedayisnotparanoia;it’sjustworrying,since

onereallyisgoingtodiesomeday.Apersonwithparanoiaissaidtobeparanoid(PARuhnoyd).Thewordhasapreciseclinicalmeaning,butitisoftenusedlooselyorfiguratively.

• Harry told Sally that she was paranoid to believe her dinner guests hated hercooking;infact,herguestsenjoyedherlasagna.

PARANORMAL(paruhNORmul) adj havingtodowithaneventoreventsthatcan’tbeexplainedscientifically;supernatural

• Numerous paranormal events have occurred in that house since the Austinsboughtit;lastnight,anumbrellaopeneditselfandbeganflyingaroundtheroom,andjustthismorningthedining-roomtableturnedintoalittlemanwithalonggraybeard.

Extrasensory perception, clairvoyance, and the ability to bend spoons with one’sthoughtsaresaidtobeexamplesofparanormalphenomena.Paranormalisoftenapolitesynonymforphony.

PAROXYSM(PARuksizum) n asudden,violentoutburst;asevereattack• Sheldon flew into a paroxysm of rage and threw books across the room afterfindingthathisapartmenthadbeenburglarized.

• FortyyearsofcigarettesmokinghadmadeJohnpronetoagonizingparoxysmsofcoughing.


PARTITION(pahrTISHun) n division;dividingwall• The teacher’spartition of theclass into “smarties”and “dumbies”maynothavebeeneducationallysound.

• In the temporary office there were plywood partitions rather than real wallsbetweentheworkareas.

Partitioncanalsobeaverb.Topartitionsomethingistodivideitbycreatingpartitions.• AftertheSecondWorldWar,Germanywaspartitionedintotwodistinctcountries,EastGermanyandWestGermany.

• AnnandDavidusedawallofbookcasestopartitionoffastudyfromonecorneroftheirlivingroom.


Checkyouranswershere.1. palatable a. modelofexcellence2. pallor b. pleasanttothetaste3. pandemic c. supernatural4. panegyric d. prevalentthroughoutalargearea5. parable e. moralitytale6. paragon f. sudden,violentoutburst7. parallel g. paleness8. paranoia h. unreasonableanxiety9. paranormal i. similar10. paroxysm j. elaboratepraise

PASTORAL(PASturul) adj rural;rustic;peacefulandcalm,likethecountry• When I’m in the city, I long for the pastoral life, but the second I get into thecountry,Ialmostdieofboredom.

• Lyme disease has made people a little less intrigued with living in pastoralsplendorthantheyusedtobe.

• Bruce is writing the pastoral movement of his symphony now. The harps willsymbolize the gentle patter of rain pattering down on the fields and spoilingeveryone’svacation.

Halcyonisasynonymforpastoral,butpastoralhasmoreofacountryassociation.


PATHOS(PAYthahs) n thatwhichmakespeoplefeelpityorsorrow• Laura’sdoggetssuchalookofpathoswheneverhewantstogoforawalkthatit’shardforLauratoturnhimdown.

• There was an unwitting pathos in the way the elderly shopkeeper had tried tospruceuphiswindowdisplaywithcrudedecorationscutfromconstructionpaper.

Don’t confusepathoswithbathos (BAY thahs).Bathos is trite, insincere, sentimentalpathos.

• Terrysaidthenewnovelwasdeeplymoving,butIfoundittobefilledwithbathos,andIdidn’tshedatear.


PATINA(PATuhnuh) n surfacediscolorationcausedbyageandoxidation

• Antiques dealers don’t refer to the tarnish on old silver as tarnish; they call itpatina,andsaythatitaddsvaluetothesilver.

• TheStatue of Liberty’s distinctive green color is due to itspatina; the statue ismadeofcopper,notcheese.

• Longuseandexposuretosunlightgiveoldfurnitureapatinathatisimpossibletoreproduceinmodernimitations;thecolorofanewpieceneverlooksquiteasrichanddarkasthecolorofanoldone.


PATRIMONY(PATruhmohnee) n aninheritance,especiallyfromafather;alegacy• Thisthornypatchofgroundisn’tmuch,butit’smypatrimony;it’sallthatmyfatherlefttomeinhiswill.

• IfBobkeepsspendingatthisrate,hewillhaveexhaustedhisentirepatrimonybytheendoftheyear.

Patronage is a related word that means support (particularly financial support).Patronageisgivenbyapatron.

PECULIAR (puh KYOOL yur) adj unusual; bizarre; individual; belonging to aparticularregion

• There’sapeculiarsmell in this room.Areyouwearingperfumemadefromfloorwaxandoldsocks?

• Thepeculiar lookinhiseyejustbeforeheopenedthedoorwaswhattippedmeofftothesurprisepartyawaitingmeinside.

• Thatmethodofcookingshrimp ispeculiar to this region; it isn’tdoneanywhereelse.

• Marlene’swayofpronouncing“orange”ispeculiartoatinyregioninUpstateNewYork.

PEREGRINATION(peruhgruhNAYshun) n wandering;traveling;expedition• The babymade awaveringperegrination around the room in search of all theraisinsshehaddroppedduringherpreviouswaveringperegrination.

• Matthew’s peregrinations across Europe have given him a vaguely continentalaccentandawalletfulofunusablecurrency.

PERPETRATOR(PURpitraytur) n theonewhocommitsanact• Policeofficerssometimesrefertotheperpetratorofacrimesimplyasthe“perp.”• When Miss Walsh found glue on her chair, she speedily apprehended theperpetratorandsenthimtotheprincipal.

• TherestaurantcriticsodislikedhismealatPierre’srestaurantthathereferredtoPierrenotasthemeal’schefbutasitsperpetrator.

PERPETUATE (pur PECH oo ayt) v to make something perpetual; to keep fromperishing

• BycallinghissecretaryFluffy,Quentinhelpedperpetuatethestereotypeofofficepersonnelasunskilledemployees.

• The new forestry bill contained conservation measures intended to helpperpetuatethenation’stimberresources.

PERVERSE(purVURS) adj contrary;stubborn• It isperverse ofSteve to insist on having thewindowseat, since lookingdownfromgreatheightsmakeshimairsick.

• Ralphtakesaperversepleasureinmakinghisgardentheugliestontheblock;itpleaseshimtoknowthathedeeplyannoyshisneighbors.


1. partition a. keepfromperishing2. pastoral b. division3. pathos c. rural4. patina d. theonewhocommitstheact5. patrimony e. stubborn6. peculiar f. surfacediscoloration7. peregrination g. wandering8. perpetrator h. thatwhichmakespeoplefeelpityorsorrow9. perpetuate i. unusual10. perverse j. inheritance

PHANTASM(FANtazum) n apparition;ghost;phantom• The fountain that seemed to be gurgling on the horizon turned out to be aphantasm; after hours and hours of driving, Meredith was still surrounded bynothingbutsand.

• ThoughAaronseemsconfident, fearand insecurityhover inhisbackground likephantasmsreadytohaunthimagainatanymoment.


PHLEGMATIC(flegMATik) adj calmorindifferent;noteasilyrousedtoexcitementPhlegmaticderivesfromphlegm(flem).Accordingtomedievallore,phlegmwasoneofthefour“bodilyhumors”andcausedsluggishness.Nowadays,phlegmmeansmucus,butaphlegmaticpersonisnotsomeonewitharunnynose.

• It must be true that opposites attract; Debbie becomes upset at the slightestprovocation,whileWebbie issophlegmatic thatnothingseemstobotherhimatall.

• Vinnietriedtobephlegmaticabouthiselevenlast-placefinishesonfieldday,butassoonashegothome,hebrokedownandcriedlikeababy.

Forasynonym,seeourentryforstolid.

PILGRIMAGE(PILgrumij) n religiousorspiritualjourney;excursion;peregrinationApilgrim issomeonewho takesa long journey fromhome fora religiousorspiritualreason.Apilgrimmakesapilgrimage.

• Everyyear,thousandsoftone-deafpeoplemakeapilgrimagetotheshrineofSt.Piano,hopingthatmusicalabilitywillberestoredtothem.

• SomedayI’mgoingtomakeapilgrimagebacktothemostimportantspotsofmychildhood,beginningwiththeMcDonald’sacrossthestreetfrommyoldhouse.

PLACEBO(pluhSEEboh) n afakemedication;afakemedicationusedasacontrolintestsoftheeffectivenessofdrugs

• Half the subjects in the experiment received the real drug; half were givenplacebos. Of the subjects given placebos, 50 percent reported a definiteimprovement,30percent reportedacompletecure,and20percentsaid, “Oh, Ibetyoujustgaveusaplacebo.”

• Mrs.Walters isa total hypochondriac;herdoctorprescribesseveralplacebos aweekjusttokeepherfromcallinghimsooften.


PLATONIC(pluhTAHNik) adj nonsexual;purelyspiritualPlatonicloveislovethatnevergetsphysical.Itissupposedtobefreefromdesireandpossessiveness,which iswhyyouhardlyeversee it in real life.Theword isderivedfromthenameoftheGreekphilosopherPlato,whobelieved,amongotherthings,thatphysicalobjectsarejusttheimpermanentrepresentationsofunchangingideas.

• “Let’skeepourrelationshipplatonic forawhile,”Kentoldhiswould-begirlfriend.“Afterall,wemetonlyfiveminutesago,anditwon’tbedarkforseveralhours.”

• RaviandGina’smarriageisentirelyplatonic;theyliveinseparatecities,andtheyseldomevenspeaktoeachother.

PLAUSIBLE(PLAWzuhbul) adj believable;convincing• “You’re going to have to come up with a more plausible alibi,” Doris told herdrunkenhusbandsternlyafterhetoldherhehadbeenworkinglateandthenfellfaceforwardintothelivingroom.

• Irene’s excuse is hardly plausible; how could a parakeet chew up someone’shomework?

Tobenotplausibleistobeimplausible.• The theory that tiny littlemenmove the pictures around inside the television isinterestingbutimplausible;foronething,youneverseeanyoneputtingfoodinaTV.

Tobeplausibleistohaveplausibility.Tobeimplausibleistohaveimplausibility.

PLIABLE (PLY uh bul) adj flexible; easy to bend; easy to convince, persuade, ormold

• Ifyouworkthemodelingclayuntilitispliable,youwillfindthatitiseasiertomoldintoshapes.

• The tenniscoachpreferredworkingwithveryyoungchildren,becausehe foundthem to bemorepliable than older players,who had often become set in theirways.

• Sharonwassopliablethatshewouldinstantlychangehermindwheneveranyonedisagreedwithher.

Tobepliableistohavepliability(plyuhBILitee).• William’sheavyvinylgloveslosttheirpliabilityinthecoldweather,andhefounditdifficulttomovehisfingers.

PLIGHT(plyte) n adangerous,distressing,orunpleasantsituation• Whenever the heroine finds herself in a seemingly hopeless plight in an old-fashionedmovie—whetherit’sbeingtiedtorailroadtracksorhangingontoacliffedge—it’sprettycertainshe’llberescuedsoon.

• “Whataplightyou’rein,”Claudiaobservedasshewatchedhersistercoweringinacornersurroundedbyrabiddogs.

• Moved by the plight of the hostages, the rich man assembled an army ofmercenariestorescuethem.

PLUNDER(PLUNdur) v toloot;toransack• Mrs.Ort toldherson tostopplundering the refrigeratorbeforeheateupall thefoodthatshehadpreparedforherguests.

• Thevictorioussoldiersplunderedthetownuntiltherewasnothinglefttosteal.Plundercanalsobeanoun.

• The pirates’ ship was loaded with plunder, all of which had been stolen frommerchantvessels.

PLURALISM (PLOORuh liz um) n a condition of society inwhich distinct groupsexistandfunctiontogetheryetretaintheirownidentities

• Pluralism is the only hope forAmerican society; our country ismade up of toomanydifferentkindsofpeopleforasingleculturetoprevail.

• Anne’sreadinghabitsreflectedahealthypluralism;shereadalltheclassics,butshealsoenjoyedmurdermysteriesandhistoricalnovels.

Tobecharacterizedbypluralismistobepluralistic(plooruhLIStik).• Themembersofapluralistic societymustaccommodate themselves toabroadrangeofculturalpeculiarities.

PONTIFICATE(pahnTIFuhkayt) v tospeakpompouslyordogmatically• Whenevermynext-doorneighborbeginspontificatingaboutzoninglaws,Iquietlytiptoebackinside;Iamtiredofbeinglecturedbythatpompousjerk.

• Mr.Burgessdoesn’tsomuchspeakaspontificate;hemakeseven“hello”soundlikeaproclamationfromonhigh.

Theactofpontificatingispontification(pahntifuhKAYshun).


1. phantasm a. fakemedication2. phlegmatic b. nonsexual3. pilgrimage c. coexistenceofdistinctgroups4. placebo d. religiousjourney5. platonic e. calmorindifferent6. plausible f. flexible7. pliable g. believable8. plight h. dangeroussituation9. plunder i. apparition10. pluralism j. ransack

POROUS(PAWRus) adj filledwithmanytinyholes;permeable;absorbent• Youjustcan’tbuildaporousboatandexpectittofloat.• Ifmysockswerenotmadeofaporousmaterial,my feetwouldbesoakingwetwithperspiration.

• They’readvertisingapapertowelsoporousthatonesheetcansoakupawholesinkfulofwater.

Tobeporousistohaveporousnessorporosity(pawRAHSuhtee).• Porosityisnotadesirablequalityinanumbrella.


POSTERITY(pahsTERuhtee) n futuregenerations;descendants;heirs• Richard necessarily paints for posterity; nobody alive has any interest in hispictures.

• There’snopointinprotectingtheworld’soilreservesforposterityifwedon’talsoleaveposterityanyairtobreathe.

• Samantha is savingher diaries forposterity; shehopes that her daughters andgranddaughterswillenjoythem.

POSTHUMOUS (PAHSchuhmus) adj occurringafter one’s death; publishedafterthedeathoftheauthor

• Theposthumous publication ofHemingway novels has becomeaminor literaryindustry, even though Hemingway clearly had good reasons for keeping thenovelsunpublished.


POSTURE(PAHSchur) v toactorspeakartificiallyoraffectedly• Jessicaisalwaysposturingabouttheplightoffarmworkers,eventhoughshehasneversetfootonafarminherlife.

• Thecreativewritingworkshopquicklydisintegrated intoanorgyofposturing bytheself-importantstudentpoets,allofwhomweretryingtoprovethattheyweretorturedgeniuses.


PRATTLE(PRATul) v tochatteronandon;tobabblechildishly• Billie Jeanprattles ceaselessly about the only things that interest her:makeup,

shopping,andherweight.Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.

• Ababy’sprattleisutterlyadorableunlessyouhavetolistentoitalldaylong.

PRECARIOUS(priKAReeus) adj dangerouslyinsecureorunsteady• Theboulderwasbalancedinaprecariouspositionoverthelipofthecliff,anditthreatenedtofallatanymomentontotheheadsoftheheedlessskiersbelow.

• Juliet is earning a precarious living as a strolling knife-sharpener; her positionwouldbeconsiderably lessprecarious ifmorepeoplewere interested inhavingtheirknivessharpenedbysomeonestrollingdownthestreet.

PRECOCIOUS(priKOHshus) adj unusuallymature;uncommonlygifted• Theprecociouschildcouldtiehershoesfiveminutesaftershewasbornandtapdancebeforeshewasamonthold.

• Beethoven’s fatherwassoproudofhisson’sprecociousmusicalgenius thatheusedtowaketheboyupinthemiddleofthenightandmakehimplaythepianoforguests.

Tobeprecociousistoexhibitprecociousnessorprecocity(priKAHSuhtee).• Mr.andMrs.Shermanwerealarmedbytheprecocityoftheirson;atagefourteen,hewasbusyplanningforhisretirement.

PREDECESSOR(PREDuhsesur) n someoneorsomethingthatprecedesintime• “Mypredecessorleftthisofficerathermessy,”Mr.Griggsapologizedasheledhisassociatespastapileofdustyboxes.

• His predecessor had been so beloved by the nation that the new presidentresignedhimselftobeingviewedasinferior.

• The newmodel of theminivan is awonderful vehicle, but itspredecessorwasriddledwithengineeringflaws.

Justasapredecessorcomesbefore,asuccessor(sukSESur)comesafter.• Peoplewhohadn’t likedtheoldminivanwerepleasedbyitssuccessorbecausethemanufacturerhadeliminatedmostof theengineeringflawsthathadplaguedtheearliervehicle.

PREDICAMENT(priDIKuhmunt) n adangerousorunpleasantsituation;adilemma• Lisa’s kitten is always having to be rescued from one predicament or another;yesterday,shegotstuckinsideahollowlog,andthedaybefore,Lisaclosedherintheautomaticgaragedoor.

• “Now, let’s see. Howwill I escape from thispredicament?” askedMonty as hestaredatthetigerchargingtowardhim.

PREDISPOSE(preediSPOHZ) v tomakesusceptible;toputinaframeofmindfor;toinclinetoward

• The fact thatSelmagrewup in thedesertprobablypredisposed her toworkingwithcactuses.

• Since the little boy was used to moving, he arrived in the new neighborhoodalreadypredisposedtomakenewfriends.

Tobepredisposedistohaveapredisposition(preedispuhZIshun).• Mr.Bigelowhadastrongpredispositionagainsteatinglunch,butwhenhesawthesumptuous banquet laid out in the conference room, he pushed hisway to theheadofthelineandmadeapigofhimself.


1. pontificate a. occurringafterone’sdeath2. porous b. futuregenerations3. posterity c. unusuallymature4. posthumous d. filledwithmanytinyholes5. posture e. dangerouslyinsecure6. prattle f. chatteronandon7. precarious g. speakpompously8. precocious h. dangeroussituation9. predecessor i. speakartificially10. predicament j. somethingthatprecedesintime

PREDOMINANT (pri DAHMuh nunt) adj most important; dominant; having poweroverothers

• ThepredominantqualityofLuther’spaintingisitsboringgrayness;hecallsit“FogatDusk.”

• Miranda’sspeechrangedovermanytopics,but itspredominantsubjectwastheneedformorevendingmachinesinthestudentlounge.

• Theadmiral’saudiencewascomposedpredominantlyofpenguins; therewereafewpolarbearshereandthere,butforthemostpart itwaspenguins,penguins,penguins.

Tobepredominantistopredominate(priDAHMuhnayt).• Deep discounts predominated the week before Christmas as retailers tried

franticallytoboostsalesattheendofadisappointingholidayseason.


PREGNANT(PREGnunt) adj highlysignificant;overflowingBiologically speaking, to be pregnant is to carry a developing fetus in one’s uterus;outsideofthispreciseusage,thewordhasamoregeneral,figurativemeaning.

• Therewasapregnant pause in the roomas theelves considered thealarmingimplicationsofSanta’sannouncementthatfromnowonalltoyswouldbeboughtfromToys“R”Us.

• India’s message to her boyfriend contained only one sentence, yet that onesentencewaspregnantwithmeaning(“Iampregnant”).

PRELUDE(PRELyood) n introduction;somethingthatprecedessomethingelse• Asapreludetoherrecital,Mrs.Oliverlecturedforaboutanhouronsomeofthefinerpointsofthecompositionshewasabouttosing.

• Stretchingexercisesshouldbeapreludetoanylongboutofexercise;stretchingmusclesbeforeexertingthemhelpsprotectthemfrominjury.


PREMEDITATED(priMEDitaytud) adj plannedbeforehand;prearranged;plottedTomeditate is to think longandhardabout something.Topremeditate is to thinkorplan something carefully before doing it. Premeditated murder is considered worsethan just killing someone on the spur of themoment because deliberate violence isviewedasbeingmoreheinousthanspontaneousfury.

• Tomas’s seemingly fortuitous rise to the presidency had actually been carefullypremeditated; for twentyyears,hehadbeenquietlysuckinguptoanyoneinthecompanywhomhefeltcouldadvancehiscareer.

PREPONDERANCE(priPAHNduruns) n superiorityinweight,number,size,extent,influence,etc.;majority;predominance

• Looking around the well-dressed crowd at the ball, Richard was surprised tonoticeapreponderanceofwomenwearingbaseballcaps.

• Thepreponderanceofonionsinthestewmadeussuspectthatourhosthadbeentrying tosavemoneywhenhemade itbecauseonionswere its leastexpensiveingredient.

PRESAGE(PRESij) v toportend;toforeshadow;toforecastorpredict• Patty’ssullenlookspresageyetanotherfamilybattle.

• Theysayabaddressrehearsalpresagesagoodperformance,butIhavefoundthatoftenabaddressrehearsalisfollowedbyanequallybadshow.

• Themeteorologist’srecordatpresagingtheweatherwasnotimpressive;hewascorrectonlyabouthalfthetime.


PRESENTIMENT (pri ZEN tuh munt) n the feeling that something (especiallysomethingbad)isabouttohappen

• Mypresentiment thatIwasabouttobefiredturnedouttobeincorrect;mybosshadaskedtoseemeonlybecausehewantedtotellmethathehadgivenmearaise.

• “I knew the boat would sink,” Aunt Louise said triumphantly. “I just had apresentimentaboutitwhenIsawthatleakybottom.”

PRESUMABLY(priZOOmuhblee)advprobably;theassumptionisthat;doubtless• PresumablyElsiewouldhavewornherglassesifshehadknownthatherdriver’stestwastoday.

• Thegardenersaidhewouldcomealittleearlynextweek,presumablytorakeupallthedeadleavesbeforemowing.

PRESUPPOSE (pree suh POHZ) v to assume beforehand; to take for granted inadvance;torequireasapriorcondition

• Wemustn’tpresuppose that the new headmaster hates girls just because he’salwaysbeeninchargeofboys’schoolsbefore;afterallthattimespentlivingwithboys,itmayactuallybeboyswhomhehates.

• Ahighscoredoesnotpresupposegoodplaybyeither team;sometimessloppyteamsrunupabigscorethroughcarelessness.

• Because his father is a famous actor, Phil often encounters the presuppositionthathecanact,too.


1. predispose a. majority2. predominant b. portend3. pregnant c. mostimportant4. prelude d. feelingthatsomethingisabouttohappen

5. premeditated e. introduction6. preponderance f. makesusceptible7. presage g. plannedbeforehand8. presentiment h. highlysignificant9. presumably i. assumebeforehand10. presuppose j. probably

PRIMAL(PRYEmul) adj first;original;ofthegreatestimportance• Allofuscantraceourancestrybacktoone-celledcreaturesswimmingaboutinasortofprimalsoupofwater,aminoacids,gunk,andwhoknowswhatelse.

• Thethrobbingmusicengenderedasortofprimalexcitementinthecrowd,causingpeopletobangtheirchestsandjumpupanddownontheirseats.

• Primalamongapuppy’sneedsisaccesstoexpensiveshoesthatitcanchew.

PRISTINE(PRISteen) adj perfectlycleananduntouched;uncontaminated• Wehadthoughttheforestwaspristineuntilwespottedthetincansburiedunderthemoss.

• Mymotherlikesherkitchensopristinethatshe’dreallypreferthatnooneuseitatall.

• Thepristine page in his typewriter seemed to taunt the struggling author, whocouldn’tthinkofanythingwhatsoevertowrite.


PRIVATION(pryeVAYshun) n lackofcomfortsornecessities;poverty• Oh,comeon,Karen!Nothavinganindoorswimmingpoolisn’texactlyaprivation,youknow!

• Inwartime,mostpeoplereadilyaccustomthemselves toa levelofprivation thattheywouldneveracceptunderordinarycircumstances.

• ForOwen,thefactthatheneverhadtomakehisbedmorethanmadeupforthenumerousprivationsoflifeinapuptent.

Deprivation (DEP ruh vay shun) is the state of being deprived of things, especiallythingsimportanttoone’swell-being.


PROCLAIM(prohKLAYM) v toannounce;declare;makeknown

• “IherebyproclaimthattodayisHotDogDay,”announcedthebefuddledgovernoronthefirstdayofHotDogWeek.

• Theblossomsonthecherrytreesproclaimedspringfromeverybranch.Ordinarypeopledon’tusuallyproclaimthings,unlessthey’retryingtothrowtheirweightaround.

• Thekingproclaimedthattaxeswouldberaisedthroughouttherealm.Mr.Bendelreportedtheking’sproclamation(prahkluhMAYshun)tohisfamily.

PROCURE(pruhKYOOR) v toobtainoracquirebyspecialmeans• Ittookalotofeffortandknow-howtoprocureOreosatthehealthspa,butStuartbribedthechiefchef.

• Oureffortstoprocureathousandcasesofchampagneintimeforthepartyendedinfailure;wewereabletofindonlyninehundred.

• Thebookstoremanagersaidthatthebestsellerwassoldout,andthatadditionalcopieswerenotprocurable(pruhKYOORuhbul).

Aprocurementissomethingthathasbeenprocured.• Thepracticaljokerseemedlistlessanddepressedwhilehewaitedforthenoveltycompanytoshiphisnextprocurementofexplodingcigars.

PROGENY(PRAHJuhnee) n offspring;descendants• Mr. March is rich in nothing but progeny; he says he’d rather have a millionchildrenthanamilliondollars.

• Thefirstreleaseoftheword-processingsoftwarewasbalkyandunreliable,butitsprogenyhavebeenquiteimpressive.

• Asinglerabbitmaybetheprogenitor(prohGENuhtur)ofhundredsofoffspringinhislifetime.

PROPAGATE(PRAHPuhgayt) v toreproduce;tomultiply;tospreadordisseminate• ItshockedthenationwhenTomgaveuphiscareerinprofessionalbasketballanddevotedhislifetopropagatingtreefungi.

• TheCold Sun Society is dedicated topropagating the theory that the sun is ahugeiceball,anditsmemberswearwintercoatsallyearlongtoprotectthemfromicyblastsofsunlight.

Theactofpropagatingispropagation(prahpuhGAYshun).• Becausetherearesomanyendangeredplantsnowadays,manygardenershavebecome interested in the propagation of rare seeds to keep old strains fromdisappearing.

PROPOUND(pruhPOWND) v tosetforthorpropose;toofferforconsideration

Propound,propose,andpropositionhavethesameroot:aLatinwordmeaningtosetforth.

• “Thisevening,”beganthescientist,“Iplantopropoundmyhypothesisthattreesgrowbecauseinvisiblegiantspullthemoutoftheground.”

PROTÉGÉ(PROHtuhzhay) n apersonunderthecareofsomeoneinterestedinhiswelfareorcareer

• “Iwould likeyou tomeetmyprotégé,DirkSimpson,” saidMissCharlton. “I amtraining him tomanagemy estate andwill leave the bulk ofmy fortune to himwhenIpassaway.”

• Walterisalwaysapproachingimportantmeninthecompanyandaskingthemtobe his mentor. But nowadays most executives don’t have time for protégés;they’retoobusylookingaftertheirownjobs.

Incarefulusage,afemaleprotégéisaprotégée.• Under the watchful eye of her mentor, the protégée flourished and eventuallybecamethesecondfemaleexecutiveinthecompany.

NotecarefullythepronunciationandspellingofthisFrenchword.

PROTOCOL(PROHtuhkawl) n diplomaticetiquetteandcustoms• WhenshewasmadeambassadortoFrance,shespentmonthsstudyingFrenchprotocolbeforeshefeltcomfortablewithhernewrole.

• Itisn’texactlyprotocol,butdiplomats’childrencangenerallybehaveasbadlyastheywantandnotgetpunishedforit.



1. primal a. reproduce2. pristine b. setforth3. privation c. original4. proclaim d. personunderthecareofsomeone5. procure e. lackofcomforts6. progeny f. announce

7. propagate g. diplomaticetiquette8. propound h. perfectlycleananduntouched9. protégé i. offspring10. protocol j. obtainbyspecialmeans

PROVOCATION(prahvuhKAYshun) n theactofprovoking;incitement;cause• Thatstupiddogstartsbarkingatanyprovocation,includingthesoundofawindowwasherclearinghisthroat.

• The police arrested the young man without provocation; he had been doingnothingillegal.

• Despitethebully’sprovocations,Tonyrefusedtobedrawnintoafight.Toprovoke(pruhVOHK)istoincitesomeonetoanger.


PROWESS(PROWis) n exceptionalskillorstrength;uncommonbravery• Annie is famous all across the country for her prowess on horseback; in fact,somepeoplesayshe’soneofthemosttalentedtrickridersintheworld.

• Althoughheboastsofhavinggreatprowessinthekitchen,Dudleyknowshowtomakenothingbuttoast.

PRURIENT(PROOReeunt) adj havinglustfulthoughtsordesires;causinglust• SinceMissGogginswasafraid thatartbookswithnakedstatues in themwouldappealtoteenagers’prurientinterests,shehadalltheartbooksremovedfromthelibraryshelves.

Tobeprurientistoexhibitprurience(PROOReeuns).• Gael’sloveofexoticfoodsalmostamountedtoprurience;sheeatsthemwithaneagernessthatcanonlybedescribedaslust.


PSEUDONYM(SOOduhnim) n afalsename;analias• Dr.SeusswasthepseudonymofTheodorSeussGeisel.• Thephilanderingcoupleusedpseudonymswhentheycheckedintothehotel fortheafternoonbecausetheydidn’twantanyonetoknowwhattheywereupto.

• “I’mgoingtouseapseudonymsoasnot toattractpeople’sattentionwhenIgooutinpublic,”announcedthefamousactor.“I’llcallmyselfRumblebumbleWart.”

The prefix “pseudo” (SOO doh) means false. A pseudointellectual is someone whopretendstobeinterestedinintellectualthings.


PSYCHE(SYEkee) n thehumansoul;themind;thespirit• While inmedical school,Nancynoticed that shewas farmore interested inherpatients’psychesthanintheirbodies,soshedecidedtobecomeapsychiatrist.

• Mel has a fragile psyche; when anyone criticizes him, he pouts for days andrefusestoeat.

Notecarefullythepronunciationofthisword;ithastwosyllables.

PUMMEL(PUMul) v topoundorpunchwiththefists• Unable to think of a clever rejoinder to her brother’s taunts, Tracy decided topummelhim.

• Youoftenhavetopummelbreaddoughinordertokneaditcorrectly.• The unprepared football team suffered an embarrassing pummeling in theopeningroundofthestatetournament;theylostbyascoreof58–0.

PUNCTILIOUS (pungkTILeeus) adj meticulously attentive to detail; scrupulouslyexact

• Mr. Richards’s secretary drives him crazy with her punctilious habit of goingthrough his correspondence and correcting grammatical errors in the letterspeoplesendtohim.

• Theprosecutor’spunctilious recitationof thecaseagainst thedefendant left thejurynochoicebuttoconvict.

• The new architect was hardlypunctilious; when he drew the plans for the newskyscraper,heforgottoputinanyfloors.

Punctiliousisamoreeruditewaytosayanal-retentive.

PUNDIT(PUNdit) n anexpert;anauthority;alearnedperson• I can never decidewhat themost important issues of the day are, so I let thepunditswhowritethecolumnsontheeditorialpagetellme.

PUNGENT(PUNjunt) adj sharp-tastingorsharp-smelling;acrid;caustic• Peter’s parents are such bland eaters that every time they come to dinner hepurposelyservesthemsomeincrediblypungentdish.

• Thesimmeringsoupgaveoffapungentaromathatstungthenostrilsofthecook.• Rachel’swit isa little toopungent forme; there isa tingeofcruelty in the jokesshetellsaboutherfriends.

PUNITIVE(PYOOnuhtiv) adj inflictingapunishment• Zoe’s father was incredibly punitive; once, he grounded her for breathing tooloudly.

• Claudedesignsclothessotightthatwearingthemisalmostpunitive.• Toddwasorderedtopayaone-thousand-dollarfineplusthreethousanddollarsinpunitivedamagesforhavingwritteninsultinggraffitionthePurvises’garagedoor.


PURBLIND(PURblynde) adj dim-sighted;practicallyblind;lackingunderstandingorimagination

• Surgery isnota jobfor thepurblind; lastweek, themyopicDr.Jonessewedhiswatchinsidesomeone’sabdomen.

• “Icannolongerlivewithsuchapurblindwoman,”moanedthefamoustenor.“SheactuallyfindsitembarrassingwhenIbreakintosonginthemiddleofthestreet.”

PURITANICAL(pyooruhTANikul) adj severeandstrictaboutmoralsIn the16thand17thcenturies, thePuritanswereagroupofProtestantswhoviewedpleasureandluxuryassinfulandadheredstrictlytosimpleandseverereligiousbeliefs.WithacapitalP,PuritanicalmeanshavingtodowiththePuritans;withalowercasep,puritanicalhasabroadermeaning,anditisalmostneveracompliment.

• Ursula’sparentsarequitepuritanical;theywon’tlethertalktoboysandwon’tletherstayoutpastseven-thirtywithoutachaperon.

• MollywassoanxiousnottobethoughtpuritanicalthatshetoldtheHell’sAngelsshewouldlovetospendtheweekwiththeminLasVegas.


1. provocation a. falsename2. prowess b. havinglustfulthoughtsordesires3. prurient c. dim-sighted4. pseudonym d. incitement5. psyche e. verysevereaboutmorals

6. pummel f. inflictingapunishment7. punctilious g. exceptionalskillorstrength8. pundit h. poundwithfists9. pungent i. learnedperson10. punitive j. meticulouslyattentivetodetail11. purblind k. humansoulormind12. puritanical l. sharp-tasting

QQUAINT(kwaynt) adj pleasantlyold-fashioned;picturesque

• Janethadalwayslongedtoliveinaquaintoldcottage,sowhensheboughthersplit-levelranchhouseshegluedmossandhollyhocksallovertheoutside.

• Inthistownpeoplehavethequaintcustomofthrowingtheirplatesatthehostesswhenthey’vefinishedeating.

QUANDARY(KWAHNdree) n stateofperplexity;predicament;dilemma• Joeisinaquandary;tomorrowhe’sscheduledtomarrythreedifferentwomeninthreedifferent towns,andhecan’tdecidewhether to try topull itofformovetoanothercountry.

• “Youplacemeinaquandary,”observedtheprofessortohispleadingstudent.“IfIdon’t give you an A, you’ll be expelled—even though your work deserves nohigherthanaD-plus.”ThentheprofessorrememberedthatCandyalmostnevercametoclassanddecidedhewasn’tinmuchofaquandaryafterall.


QUASI(KWAHzee)advor(KWAYzye) adj almost;near;resemblingThiswordisalwaysusedincombinationwithotherwords.

• Shemanagedtocomeupwithaquasi-plausibleexcuseforbeingoutallnight,sotheheadmistressdecidedtogiveheronemorechance.

• Clairemakesallherownclothes;asaresult,shealwayslooksquasi-fashionableinsteadoftrulystylish.

• Ourinventionwasaquasi-success;itdidn’tdowhatwewantedittodo,butitalsodidn’tblowup.

QUAY(kee) n alandingontheedgeofthewater;wharf;pier• Thepartyisbeingheldonthequay; thatmeansthatat leastfivepeoplewillgetpushedintothewateratsomepointduringtheevening.

• Thehurricanewashedawayeveryboatmooredalongthequay,buttheboatsthathadbeenpulledontodrylandbeforethestormwereundamaged.


QUELL(kwel) v toputanendto;tosquelch;tosuppress

• Only his girlfriend could quell Whit’s wrath at not having been chosen for thevarsityteam.

• A mutiny arose when the cafeteria ran out of ice cream, but the food servicemanagerquelleditbyofferingchocolatepuddinginstead.

QUERY(KWIRee) n aquestion;aninquiry• Pleasesaveanyqueries for theendof the lecture,or theprofessorwill losehistrainofthoughtandstartsingingthenationalanthem.

• ThemanuscriptwassocoveredwithqueriesfromhereditorthatNancycouldseethatshehadamajorrevisionaheadoftime.

Queryisaverbaswell.• “Doyoureallythinktheearthisround?”Dougqueriedscornfully.

QUEUE(kyoo) n alineorfile• TheBritisharefamousforwaitingpatientlyinlongqueues,whiletheGermansarenotoriousforpushingtotheheadoftheline.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• Peopleweresoeagerforticketsthattheystartedtoqueueupthenightbeforetheboxofficeopened.

QUIESCENT(kweeESunt) adj motionless;atrest;still• Clearyourbrainofallirrelevantthoughts;letyourmindbecomequiescent.Then,andonlythen,willyoutrulybereadytolearnwhyIshouldtakeovertheworld.

Thenounisquiescence(kweeESuns).• Theodore was bubbling over with energy as a young man, but in old age hesettledintoapeacefulquiescence.

QUINTESSENTIAL(kwintuhSENchul) adj beingthemostperfectexampleof• Lacey is thequintessential volunteer; sheworks twenty-three hours per day ondifferentcharitablecauses.

Thenoun isquintessence (kwinTESuns).Whenyouhave reducedsomething to itsmostpureandconcentratedform,youhavecaptureditsquintessence.

QUIZZICAL(KWIZikul) adj teasing;mocking;questioning;inquisitiveInarchaicEnglish,toquizsomeonewastomakefunofhimorher.Ourwordquizzicaloftenretainsvestigesofthismeaning.

• Josh gave Jennifer’s waistline a quizzical glance as she reached for her thirdpieceofpie.

Increasinglyinmodernusage,quizzicalalsomeansquestioningorinquisitive.

• Thepoliceman’squizzicalexpressionhintedthatperhapsIhadn’texplainedverywellwhyIhadtospeedonthehighway.


QUOTIDIAN(kwohTIDeeun) adj daily;everyday;ordinary• Havinganairplanecrashinyourbackyardisn’texactlyaquotidianevent;infact,formostpeopleitisn’tevenaweeklyone.

• Marvin’s diary was dull to read; it was filled almost entirely with thoroughlyquotidianobservationsaboutmealsandtheweather.


1. quaint a. pleasantlyold-fashioned2. quandary b. question3. quasi c. motionless4. quay d. beingthemostperfectexampleof5. quell e. putanendto6. query f. alandingontheedgeofthewater7. queue g. teasing8. quiescent h. stateofperplexity9. quintessential i. daily10. quizzical j. almost11. quotidian k. line

RRAMPANT(RAMpunt) adj widespread;uncontrollable;prevalent;raging

• Arumortheprincess isexpectingtriplets isrunningrampantthroughthevillage;bynoon,everyoneinthecountywillhaveheardit.

• Crimewasrampantinthehighschoolbuilding;everylockerhadbeenbrokeninto.• Arampanthordeofsquealingfansswarmedtherockstar.

RAPTURE(RAPchur) n ecstasy;bliss;unequaledjoy• NothingcouldequaltheAmericans’raptureonspottingaBurgerKinginCalcutta;theyhadbeenterrifiedthattheyweregoingtohavetoeatunfamiliarfood.

• Winning an Oscar sent Dustin into a state of rapture. “I can’t believe this ishappeningtome!”heexclaimed.

Tobefullofraptureistoberapturous(RAPchurus).• Omardoesn’tgoinforrapturousexpressionsofaffection;afirmhandshakeandaquickpunchontheshoulderisenoughforhim.

Raptisanadjectivemeaningentrancedorecstatic.• The children listenedwith rapt attention to the storyteller; they didn’t notice theponystandinginthehallwaybehindthem.

Tobeenraptured(enRAPchurd)istobeenthralledorinastateofrapture.• EnrapturedbyDanielleSteele’sthrillingprosestyle,Frankcontinuedreadinguntilthelibrarywasreadytoclose.

RAREFIED (RARuh fyde) adj esoteric; interesting toaselectgrouponly;exalted;thin

• Wendell’smusicalcompositionsaresorarefied thatonlyafewpeoplecanreallyappreciatethem.

• Yourbook is toorarefied to reachamassaudience;whydon’tyou takeout theOldFrenchepicsandthrowinafewcarchasesorsomething?

• TheatmosphereatopMountEverestwassorarefiedthattheclimbercouldhardlybreathe.

Theverbisrarefy(RARuhfye).


RATIFY(RATuhfye) v toconfirm;toapprovesomethingformally• Ifthelatestversionofthedisarmamenttreatyisn’tratifiedsoon,wemustprepareforthepossibilityofwar.

• Thepowerlesslegislaturehadnochoicebuttoratifytheedictsofthedictator.• AccordingtotherulesofP.S.49,thestudentcouncilpresidentcannottakeofficeuntil the entire student body has ratified his election. That is why P.S. 49 hasneverhadastudentcouncilpresident.

Thenounisratification.

Forasynonym,seeourfirstdefinitionofsanction.

RATIOCINATION(rasheeohsuhNAYshun) n logicalreasoning• Winning the love of Wilma was clearly not a problem that could be solved byratiocinationalone;Freddecidedtoturnoffhiscomputerandaskherout.

Theverbisratiocinate(rasheeOHSuhnayt).


RATIONALE(rashuhNAL) n underlyingreason;basis;reasoning• “My rationale is simple,” the doctor explained as he rummaged around in hisdrawer fora largerspoon. “Ifonedoseofmedicine isgood, fiftydosesmustbebetter.”

• Alice’s rationale for buying a new coat was sound; her old coat had a brokenzipper.

Torationalize(RASHuhnuhlyze)istogiveareason,butmoreinthesenseofofferinganexcuse.


RAUCOUS(RAWkus) adj stridentlyloud;harsh;rowdy• Crowsaremyleastfavoritebirdintheearlymorning;theirraucouscawingwakesme,andIcan’tgetbacktosleep.

• “If youdon’t stop that raucous behavior, I’ll—I’ll put you in the corner!” said thenewteacherinaquaveringvoiceasthestudentsgotincreasinglyrowdy.

• Jedlaughedraucouslywhenhissistertoppledoffherchair.

REACTIONARY (reeAKshuhneree) adj ultraconservative; right-wing; backward-thinking

• GrandpaGusissoreactionarythathedoesn’tthinkwomenshouldbeallowedtovote.

• There’s no point in proposing a welfare bill as long as this reactionaryadministrationremainsinpower.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.• Iamareactionaryonthesubjectofcandy;Ibelievethattheold,establishedkindsarethebest.

REBUFF(riBUF) v tosnub;toreject• Ashley has been trying to tame the squirrels in her yard, but so far they’verebuffedherefforts; shehasn’tevenbeenable toget them toeat the foodsheleavesforthemonherporch.

• Don’t be surprised ifWillie rebuffs your advances; if youwant him to kiss you,you’rejustgoingtohavetoinvestinsomefalseteeth.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.• IinvitedmyparentstotheMetallicaconcert,butIwasmetwithahorrifiedrebuff;infact,myparentssaidtheywouldratherdiethango.

RECIDIVISM(riSIDuhvizum) n theactofrepeatinganoffense• There’s not much evidence that imprisoning people reforms them; the rate ofrecidivismamongreleasedconvictsishigh.

Apersonwhorepeatsanoffenseisarecidivist(riSIDuhvist).• “Mysonisquitearecidivist,”Mrs.Kormantoldherfriendsruefully.“EverytimeIturnmyback,hesneaksuptowatchmoreTV.”



1. rampant a. confirm2. rapture b. logicalreasoning3. rarefied c. ecstasy4. ratify d. ultraconservative5. ratiocination e. widespread6. rationale f. stridentlyloud7. raucous g. esoteric8. reactionary h. underlyingreason9. rebuff i. snub10. recidivism j. actofrepeatinganoffense

RECLAIM (ri KLAYM) v to make uncultivated areas of land fit for cultivation; torecoverusablesubstancesfromrefuse;toclaimagain;todemandtherestorationof

• Acenturyago, turningaswamp intocroplandwascalled reclaiming it;now it iscalleddestroyingwetlands.

• Attherecyclingfacility,massiveelectromagnetsareusedtoreclaimsteelandironfromscrapmetal.

• Anthonywasabletoreclaimhisbriefcasefromthelost-and-foundafteraccuratelydescribingitscontentstotheclerk.

Thiswordcanalsobepronounced“reeKLAYM.”Thenounisreclamation(rekluhMAYshun).

REDEEM(riDEEM) v tobuyback;tofulfill;tomakeupfor;torescuefromsin• WhenIheardthatmyhusbandhadpawnedmyminkcoat inorder tobuymeabirthdaypresent,IwentstraighttothepawnshopandredeemeditwiththemoneyIhadbeengoingtospendonabirthdaypresentforhim.

• The troubled company redeemed its employees’ shares for fifty cents on thedollar.

• Iwon’tmarryyouuntilyouredeemyourpromisetobuildaroofoverourheads.• Barbarawillneverredeemherselfinherboss’seyesuntilshereturnseverysinglepaperclipshe“borrowed.”

• Reverend Coe is obsessed with redeeming the souls of the people who playcards.His favorite tactic iscrashingabridgepartyandasking, “Whowillbid fortheredemption(riDEMPshun)ofyoursouls?”

Someone who is so evil that they cannot be rescued from sin or wrongdoing isirredeemable(iruhDEEMuhbul).

REDRESS(riDRES) v toremedy;tomakeamendsfor• Theheadoftheenvironmentalgroupexplainedthatbysuingthechemicalfactoryforviolatingcleanairlaws,hewasusingthecourtstoredressacivilwrong.

Redress, pronounced “REE dres,” is a noun meaning reparation, compensation, ormakingamendsforawrong.

• “Ofcourse,thereisnoredressforwhatyou’vesuffered,”thelawyertoldhisclient,whowaswearinganeckbraceandpretendingtolimp.“Still,Ithinkweshouldaskforsevenandahalfmilliondollarsandseewhathappens.”

Notecarefullythepronunciationofbothpartsofspeech.

REFERENDUM(refuhRENdum) n apublicvoteonameasureproposedorpassedbyalegislature

• Atthelastminute,thestatelegislatorssnuckalargepayraiseforthemselvesintothe appropriations bill, but voters got wind of the scheme and demanded areferendum.

Referendumandreferarecloselyrelated.Inareferendum,abillfromthelegislatureisreferredtotheelectorateforapproval.

REFRACTORY (ri FRAK tuh ree) adj disobedient and hard to manage; resistingtreatment

• Bobbyissucharefractory littleboywhen itcomestohaircuts thathehastobetiedupandhoistedintothebarber’schair.

• The old man viewed all children as drooling, complaining, refractory littlemonsters.

• ThedoctorsprescribedtenantibioticsbeforefindingonethatworkedonHelen’srefractoryinfection.

REGIME(riZHEEM) n agoverningpower;asystemofgovernment;aperiodduringwhichagovernmentisinpower

• Accordingtorules issuedbythenewregime,anyonecaughtwearingredshoeswillbearrestedandthrownintothepenitentiary.

• Theolderreportersspentmuchoftheirtimereminiscingbitterlyabouthowmuchbetterthingshadbeenduringthepreviousregime,whenthenewspaperhadbeenownedbyaprivatefamilyinsteadofacorporateconglomerate.

REGIMEN(REJuhmun) n aregulatedcourse• Mrs.Stewartishavingtroublefollowingthenewregimenherdoctorgaveher;shecanhandlethedietingandexercise,butsleepingonabedofnailsishardforher.

• It takesmost new students a long time to get used to the regimen at boardingschool; that iswhy this headmaster doesn’t allow children towrite letters homeuntilthebeginningofthesecondsemester.

REMISSION(riMISHun) n thetemporaryorpermanentdisappearanceofadisease;pardon

• Isabel’s cancer has been in remission for several years now—long enough formostpeopletohavetroublerememberingthedarkperiodwhenshewasgravelyill.

• TheappealscourtgrantedRonnieapartial remissionofhiscrimes; it threwouttwoofhisconvictions,butitupheldthethird.

Oneofthemeaningsofremitistosendbackorpay;aremission,then,canalsomeanpayment.

• Whencompaniesaskforpromptremissionsoftheirbills,Ijustlaughandputthe

billsawayinadrawer.

REMUNERATION(rimyoonuhRAYshun) n payment;recompense• “You mean you expect remuneration for working here?” the magazine editoraskedincredulouslywhentheyoungcollegegraduateinquiredastowhatsortofsalaryshemightexpecttoearnasaneditorialassistant.

• Thereisastrongpositivecorrelationbetweenpeople’ssatisfactionwiththeirjobsand their level of remuneration; themore they’re paid, the better they like theirwork.

• The firefighter viewed the child’s hug asmore than adequate remuneration forcrawlingthroughtheburningbuildingtosaveher.

Remunerationmaybeonewaytoredressacrime.


REND(rend) v totear;toripAheart-rendingstoryisonethatissoterriblysadthatittearsareader’sheartintwo.

• I realize you’re upset about not being invited to the dance, but rending yourclothingandtearingoutyourhairisgettingalittletooemotional,don’tyouthink?

Somethingrippedortorncanbedescribedasrent(rent).


1. reclaim a. remedy2. redeem b. disobedient3. redress c. publicvote4. referendum d. makefitforcultivation5. refractory e. disappearanceofadisease6. regime f. regulatedcourse7. regimen g. payment8. remission h. buyback9. remuneration i. rip10. rend j. governingpower

RENDER(RENdur) v tomake;tocausetobe;toprovide;todepict

• Steve’sfunnyfacesrenderedhissisterincoherentwithlaughter.• “Wecanrendersomeformoffinancialassistance,ifthatiswhatyoudesire,”theofficialsuggesteddelicately.

• Sittingallnightonthebottomofthepondhadrenderedthecaruselessforalmostanythingexceptcontinuingtositonthebottomofthepond.

• Benson decided to render his mother in oil after determining that watercolorwasn’tasubstantialenoughmediumfortheportraitofsuchasourpuss.Benson’smotherwasnotpleasedwithhisrendering.

REPARTEE (rep ur TEE) n a quick, witty reply; witty, spirited conversation full ofquick,wittyreplies

• “Toilethead”isfour-year-oldMax’spreferredreparteetoalmostanyquestion.• WhenAnnettefirstcametocollege,shedespairedofeverbeingabletokeepupwith the repartee of the clever upperclassmen, but eventually she, too, got thehangofbeinginsufferable.


REPLICATE(REPlikayt) v toreproduceexactly;toduplicate;torepeatWhenyoureplicatesomething,youproduceaperfectreplica(REP-likuh)ofit.

• Other scientistswere unable to replicateHarold’s startling experimental results,andinshortorderHaroldwasexposedasafraud.

• At his weekend house in the country, Arthur tried to replicate the cozy Englishcottage in which he had been raised; his first step was to replace the asphaltshingleswiththatch.

• Somesimpleorganismsreplicatebysplittingthemselvesintwo.

REPOSE(riPOHZ) n rest;tranquillity;relaxation• AsCarolstruggledtopacktheenormouscrates,herhusbandlolledbackonthesofainanattitudeofrepose;asamatteroffact,hewassoundasleep.

• “Somethingattempted,somethingdone,hasearnedanight’srepose”isafavoritesayingofRuby’sgrandmother;itmeansshe’stiredandwantstogotobed.

REPRESS(riPRES) v toholdback;toconcealfromoneself;tosuppress• Stella could not repress her feeling of horror at the sight of her neighbor’swallpaper.

• Thegovernment’scrudeattempt to repress the rebellion in thecountrysideonlymadeiteasierfortherebelstoattractnewrecruits.

• Repressing painful memories is often psychologically harmful; the painfulmemoriestendtopopupagainwhenoneisleastpreparedtodealwiththem.

Theactofrepressingisrepression.

REPRIMAND(REPruhmand) n sternreproof;officialrebuke• Davidwasrelievedtoseethattheofficerintendedtogivehimaverbalreprimandinsteadofaspeedingticket.

• Ottoreceivedhisfather’sreprimand instonysilencebecausehedidnotwanttogivethatmeanoldmanthesatisfactionofseeinghissoncry.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• Ned’sgovernessthreatenedtoreprimandhimandhisfriendsiftheycontinuedtothrowwaterballoonsattheneighbor’shouse.

REPRISAL(riPRYZEul) n retaliation;revenge;counterattack• We knocked over their snowman, and in reprisal they spray painted ourclubhouse.

• Therebelsissuedastatementannouncingthatyesterday’skidnappinghadbeenareprisalforlastmonth’sbombingofarebelstronghold.

Theverbisreprise.

REPROBATE(REPruhbayt) n adepraved,wickedperson;adegenerate• MyUncleBobwasawell-knownold reprobate; he spentmostof his time lyingdrunkinthegutterandshoutingobscenitiesatwomenandchildrenpassingby.

• Everyonedeploredthereprobate’sbehaviorwhilehewasalive,butnowthathe’sdeadeveryonewantstoreadhismemoirs.


REPUGNANT(riPUGnunt) adj repulsive;offensive;disgusting• ThethoughtofstrikingoutonhisownisabsolutelyrepugnanttoAllan;hewouldmuchprefertocontinuelivinginhisoldroom,drivinghisparents’car,andeatingmealspreparedbyhismother.

• Even the tiniest lapse in etiquette was repugnant to Mrs. Mason; when littleAngelapickedhernoseandwiped iton the tablecloth,Mrs.Masonnearlybursthergirdle.

• Kelly’s roommate, a classical music major, found Kelly’s love of hip-hop totallyrepugnant.

RESIGNATION(rezigNAYshun) n passivesubmission;acquiescence• Noonehadexpected thatWarrenwould takebeingkickedoff the teamwithsomuch resignation; he simply hung up his uniform and walked sadly out of thelockerroom.

• Therewasresignation inAlex’svoicewhenheannouncedatlonglastthattherewasnothingmorethathecoulddo.

To exhibit resignation is to be resigned (ri ZYNDE). Note carefully this particularmeaningoftheword.

• Aftercollectingseveralhundredrejectionslips,Darlafinallyresignedherselftothefactthathernovelwouldneverbepublished.


1. render a. sternreproof2. repartee b. reproduceexactly3. replicate c. quick,wittyreply4. repose d. depraved,wickedperson5. repress e. retaliation6. reprimand f. causetobe7. reprisal g. repulsive8. reprobate h. holdback9. repugnant i. passivesubmission10. resignation j. tranquillity

RESPLENDENT(riSPLENdunt) adj brilliantlyshining;radiant;dazzling• In the morning sunlight, every drop of dew was resplendent with color;unfortunately,noonewasawaketoseeit.

• Betsy’sgownlookedresplendentinthecandlelight;thegownwasmadeofnylon,anditwassoshinyyoucouldpracticallyseeyourreflectioninit.

RESURRECTION(rezuhREKshun) n returntolife;revivalInChristianbelief, theResurrection is Jesus’s return to lifeon the thirddayafterhiscrucifixion.Ingeneralusage,thewordreferstoanyrevival.

• Polly’s tableclothhasundergonequitea resurrection; the last time I saw it, shewasusingitasadress.

• Thenewchairmanbroughtabouttheresurrectionofthecompanybyfiringafewdozenvicepresidentsandputtingalockontheofficesupplies.

RETORT(riTAWRT) v tomakeasharpreply• “Twinkle, twinkle, littlestar—whatyousay iswhatyouare,”Leslie retortedhotly

whenherplaymatecalledheradoo-doobrain.• When Laurie accused Peggy of being drunk, Peggy retorted, “Whoeryooshay-ingsdrunk?”andfelloveronthesidewalk.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.• Jeffcanneverthinkofagoodretortwhenheneedsone;theperfectlineusuallycomestohimonlylater,usuallyinthemiddleofthenight.


RETROSPECT(REtruhspekt) n lookingbackward;areview• Inretrospect,IwasprobablyoutoflinewhenIyelledatmymotherfortellingmeshelikedwhatIwaswearingandsayingthatshehopedIwouldhaveaniceday.

Aretrospective(retruhSPEKtiv)isanexhibitionofanartist’sworkfromoveraperiodofyears.

• Seeinganadvertisementforaretrospectiveofhisfilmsmadethedirectorfeelold.Prospect(PRAHspekt)istheoppositeofretrospect.Aprospectisaview—eitherliteralorfigurative—thatliesbeforeyou,orinthefuture.

• George’s heart sings at the prospect of being a game-show contestant; hebelievesthatansweringquestionsontelevisionisthetruepathtoenlightenment.

• The Emersons named their new house Prospect Point because it offeredmagnificentviewsofthesurroundingcountryside.

REVAMP(reeVAMP) v torevise;torenovate• The struggling college’s revamped curriculum offers such easy electives asShakespeare’sFurnitureandSpellingforSpokesmodels.

• Susanisrevampingherrésumétomake itseemmore impressive;she’sgettingridofthepartthatdescribesherworkexperience,andshe’saddingapartthatisentirelymadeup.

REVEL(REVul) v toenjoythoroughly;totakedelightin;tocarouse• Kenisrevelinginluxurynowthathehasfinallycomeintohispatrimony.• Tammyreveled ineverybiteof the forbiddendessert; ithadbeenso longsinceshehadeatenchocolatecakethatshewantedittolastaslongaspossible.

Torevelistoengageinrevelry(REVulree).• Thesoundsofrevelryarisingfromthepartybelowkeptthechildrenawakeuntilallof their parents’ guests had gone. (To revel is not to engage in revelation;revelationisthenounformofreveal.)

Apersonwhorevelsisareveler(REVuhlur).

• Amandathoughtthatallherguestshadgonehome,butthenshefoundonelastdrunkenrevelersnoringinherbedroomcloset.

REVILE(riVYLE) v toscoldabusively;toberate;todenounce• InDickens’sOliverTwist,poorOliverisreviledfordaringtoaskformoregruel.• Thepresidentofthesororityreviled thenewestmemberfornotwearingenoughmakeup.

REVULSION(ruhVULshun) n loathing;repugnance;disgust• The princess pulled back in revulsion when she realized that her kiss hadn’tturnedthefrogintoaprinceafterall.

• “Pleasedon’ttalkaboutdeadlizardswhileI’meating,”saidSallywithrevulsion.Thereisnosuchwordasrevulse(soyoudon’tneedtoknowhowtopronounceit).

RHAPSODIZE(RAPsuhdyze) v tospeakextremelyenthusiastically;togush• Daniellerhapsodizedaboutthelittledog,sayingthatshehadneverseenamorebeautiful,friendly,fabulouslittledoginherentirelife.

• Hugh never has a kind word to say about anything, so when he rhapsodizedaboutthenewrestaurantwefiguredthatweprobablyoughttotryit.

Onewhorhapsodizescanbesaidtoberhapsodic(rapSAHDik).• Thereviewoftheplaywasfarfromrhapsodic.Infact,itwassoharshlynegativethattheplayclosedthenextday.


RIBALD(RIBuld) adj indecentorvulgar;off-color• Mostofthesongsonthatnewalbumhaveribaldlyricsthatwillgiveheartattackstomothersalloverthenation.

Ribaldlanguageorhorsingaroundiscalledribaldry(RIBuldree).• Thefreshmandormitorywascharacterizedprimarilybyribaldryandbeer.


RIFE(ryfe) adj occurringfrequently;widespread;common;swarming• Fistfightswererifeinthatpartoftown,largelybecausetherewasanall-nightbarinnearlyeverystorefront.

• The committee’s planning sessions were rife with backstabbing and pettyquarrels.

• Belowdecks,thisshipisrifewithratsandotherpests.

RIVET(RIVit) v toengross;toholdfirmlyOnaconstructionsite,arivetisametalpinthatisusedtofastenthingstogether,andrivetingistheactoffasteningthingsinthismanner.Outsideofaconstructionsite,rivetmeansmuchthesamething,exceptfiguratively.

• Afterreadingthefirstparagraph, Iwasriveted to themurdermysteryuntil Ihadfinishedthefinalone.

• Dr.Connorsrivetedtheattentionofhisaudiencewithadescriptionofhismethodofturninghimselfintoalizard.

Ifsomethingrivetsinthisway,itissaidtoberiveting.• Shayla has themost riveting green eyes I’ve ever seen—or perhaps those arecontactlenses.

Thefigurativedefinitionofrivetisclosetotransfix.

ROUT(rowt) v toputtoflight;toscatter;tocauseahugedefeat• BrightonHighSchool’s debate team routed the team fromPittsford, leaving thePittsfordcaptainsobbingamonghisnotecards.

• Routing the forces of pestilence and famine turned out to be a bigger job thanMarkhadanticipated,sohestoppedtryingandwenttolawschoolinstead.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.• Lastweek’sbasketballgamewasarout,notacontest;ourteamlostbyamarginofmorethanfiftypoints.

RUE(roo) v tomourn;toregret• IruethedayIwalkedintothisplace;nothingevenremotelygoodhashappenedtomesincethen.

• Themiddle-agedman rued his misspent youth—all that time wasted studying,whenhecouldhavebeenmeetinggirls.

Ruefulistheadjectiveformofrue.• It’shardforHowienottofeelruefulwhenheremembersthewayhefumbledtheball in the last two seconds of the game, ending his team’s thirty-year winningstreak.

• WheneverOlga’smothergetsaruefullookinhereye,Olgaknowsshe’sabouttomakesomekindofremarkabouthowfasttimepasses.

QuickQuiz#71

Match each word in the first column with its definition in the second column.Checkyouranswershere.

1. resplendent a. enjoythoroughly2. resurrection b. scoldabusively3. retort c. brilliantlyshining4. retrospect d. occurringfrequently5. revamp e. revise6. revel f. lookingbackward7. revile g. engross8. revulsion h. mourn9. rhapsodize i. makeasharpreply10. ribald j. puttoflight11. rife k. returntolife12. rivet l. indecent13. rout m. speakextremelyenthusiastically14. rue n. loathing

SSALLY(SALee) n asuddenrushingattack;anexcursion;anexpedition;arepartee;acleverrejoinder

• Ourcatmadealightning-fastsally intotheTVroomandthendashedoutof thehousewiththeparakeetsquawkinginhismouth.

• Let’s take a little sally down Newbury Street; there are some nice, expensiveshopsthereI’vebeenmeaningtopeekinto.

• Tonydidn’tknowtheanswertotheprofessor’squestion,buthisquick-wittedsallymadethewholeclasslaugh,includingtheprofessor.

Thiswordcanbeusedasaverbaswell.• The first sentence of themystery is, “One finemorning,RandallQuarry salliedforthfromhisYorkshiremansionandwasneverseenagain.”

SALUTATION(salyooTAYshun) n greeting;welcome;openingwordsofgreeting• “Hello, you stinking, stupid swine” is not the sort ofwarm, supportivesalutationJameshadbeenexpectingfromhisgirlfriend.

• Unabletorecognizethemancomingtowardher,Lilawavedherhandinsalutationandhopedthegesturewouldfoolhimintothinkingsheknewwhohewas.

Asalutatory(suhLOOtuhtawree)isawelcomingaddressgiventoanaudience.Atahigh school commencement, it is the speech given by the salutatorian (suh loo tuhTAWR ee un), the student with the second-highest grade point average in thegraduatingclass.(Thestudentwiththehighestaverageisthevaledictorian.)

SANCTION(SANGKshun) n officialpermissionorapproval;endorsement;penalty;punitivemeasure

• Withoutthesanctionofthehistoricalcommission,Cynthiawasunabletopaintherhousepurpleandputaflashingneonsignoverthefrontdoor.

• The babysitter wasn’t sure whether it was okay for Alex to knock over Andy’sblocktower,soshecalledtheboys’parentsandreceivedtheirsanctionfirst.

Strangely, sanction also has a meaning that is nearly opposite to approval orpermission.(Cleaveisanotherwordthatisverynearlyitsownantonym.)

• “Unless your puny little nation stops selling poisoned fruit to other nations,” thesecretaryof state threatened, “we’ll imposesomanysanctions on you that youwon’tknowwhichwayisup.”

• FormanyyearsinternationalsanctionsonSouthAfricaincludedthebanningofitsathletesfromcompetingintheOlympics.

Thiswordcanbeaverbaswell.• Themanagerof theapartmentcomplexwon’tsanction your flooding theweightroomtomakeaswimmingpool.

SARCASM (SAHR kaz um) n a tone used to convey irony, or the fact that theintendedmeaningisoppositefromthewrittenorspokenone

• Hankbelievesthatsarcasm isthekeytobreakingtheicewithgirls.“Isthatyourrealhair,ordidyoujustjointhecircus?”heaskedJeanette.

Tousesarcasmistobesarcastic(sahrKAStik).• Themayorwasenragedbythesarcastictoneofthenewspaper’seditorialabouthisarrestforpossessionofcocaine.

• “Niceoutfit,”Martinsaidsarcasticallyasheeyedhissister’sfadedbathrobe,fluffyslippers,andknee-highnylons.

SAVANT(suhVAHNT) n ascholar;aknowledgeableandlearnedperson• Bertrand isarealsavantaboutarchitecture.Youcan’tgoonawalkwithouthimstoppingtopointouteveryarchitecturalpointof interesthesees.That’swhynoonewillgoonwalkswithhimanymore.

• Theabbotof themonastery isagreatsavant in the fieldsofchurchhistoryandreligiousart.

PerhapsbecausesavantisaFrenchword(itderivesfromtheFrenchsavoir,toknow),it tends tobeused inassociationwithmoresophisticated featsofknowledge.You’reunlikelytohearsomeonedescribedasabaseballsavant,forexample.

An idiot savant is a person who, though mentally handicapped, has an astonishingmasteryofoneparticularsubject.

• Edisanidiotsavant;hecan’tspeak,read,ordresshimself,butheiscapableofplayingintricatepianopiecesafterhearingthemjustonce.

Savoirfaire(savwahrFER)isaFrenchphrasethathasbeenadoptedintoEnglish.Itissocialgrace,ortheknowledgeofwhattodoandhowtobehaveinanysituation.

• Priscillawasnervousat thediplomat’sparty,buther instinctivesavoir faire keptherfrommakingmajorblunders.


SCANT(skant) adj limited;meager;barelysufficient• Soapandwaterareinscantsupplyaroundhere.You’llbeabletotakeashoweronlyoncepermonth.

• Finding the recipe toobland,sheaddedascant tablespoonfulof lemon juice to

themixture.• Mrs.Doudyhasratherscantknowledgeofhomeeconomics.She’sbeenteachingherstudentstohemthingswithtapeandsafetypins.

Scantcanbeaverbaswell.• Don’tscantmeonmashedpotatoes—youknowthey’remyfavorite.

Scant and scanty (SKAN tee) have similar but not quite identical meanings. Scantmeans barely sufficient in amount, while scanty means barely sufficient in number,extent,orquantity.

• Thebeggarhasscantfoodandscantyclothes.

SCHISM(SIZum) n division;separation;discordordisharmony• There’sbeenaschismintheranksoftheFlatEarthSociety;onefactionbelievesthat the earth is flat because it was created that way, while the other factionbelievestheearthusedtoberoundbutwasrolledflatbybeingsfromouterspace.


SCORN(skawrn) v todisdain;tofindsomeoneorsomethingcontemptible• “Iscornyoursweaty,mindlessathletics,”saidthepresidentoftheliteraryclubtothe captain of the football team. “I prefer spending a quiet afternoon bymyselfreadingtheworksofthegreatpoets.”

• Morrisscornseverykindofcatfoodexceptthemostexpensivebrand.Thiswordcanalsobeanounoranadjective.

• “Yourclothesaretotallypathetic,Dad,”saidReba,hervoicedrippingwithscorn.Herfathergaveherascornfullookandsaid,“DoyoureallybelieveIcarewhatafive-year-oldthinksofthewayIdress?”

SEAMLESS(SEEMlus) adj withoutaseam;withoutanythingtoindicatewheretwothingswerejoinedtogether;smooth

• Afterlotsofrevision,Jennifersucceededinreworkingthetwohalvesofhernovelintoaseamlesswhole.

• The most interesting thing Beth said all evening was that her new, seamlessunderpantswereconsiderablylessbulkythanthekindshehadformerlyworn.

• Hisexcuseisseamless,Ihavetoadmit;Iknowhe’slying,butIcan’tfindaholeinhisstory.

SECEDE(siSEED) v towithdrawfromanalliance• WhenthesouthernstatessecededfromtheUnion,theyprobablyneverexpectedtocreatequiteasmuchofaruckusastheydid.

• If taxeskeep rising,ourstate isgoing tosecede from thenationandbecomeatax-freesocietyfinancedbyrevenuesfrombingoandhorseracing.

• WhenEdward’smothermadehimcleanhisroom,hesecededfromhisfamilyandmovedintothebasement,wherehecouldkeepthingsasmessyashewanted.

Anactofsecedingissecession(suhSESHun).• Edward’smotherrefusedtorecognizehissecession.Shemadehimcleanupthebasement,too.

SECLUSION(siKLOOzhun) n aloneness;withdrawalfromotherpeople• Thepoetspentherfinalyearsinseclusion,remainingaloneinadarkenedroomandlisteningto“StairwaytoHeaven”overandoveragain.

• Somepeoplecanstudybetterwithotherpeoplearound,butIneedtotalseclusionandanendlesssupplyofcoffee.

• Theprisonerwascausingsomuchtroublethathisguardsagreeditwouldbebesttoputhiminseclusionforthetimebeing.

Theadjectiveissecluded(siKLOODid).• Roberta lives in asecluded house at the end of a dead-end street; the lots oneithersideofhersareempty.

Theverbisseclude(siKLOOD).


1. sally a. bitingirony2. salutation b. scholar3. sanction c. suddenrushingattack4. sarcasm d. withdrawfromanalliance5. savant e. smooth6. scant f. disdain7. schism g. officialpermissionorapproval8. scorn h. greeting9. seamless i. division10. secede j. limited

SECT(sekt) n asmallreligioussubgrouporreligion;anygroupwithaunitingthemeorpurpose

• Jack dropped out of college and joined a religious sect whose members wererequired to livewithanimalsandsurrenderall theirmaterial possessions to theleadersofthesect.

• After the schism of 1949, the religious denomination split up into about fiftydifferentsects,allofthemwithnearidenticalbeliefsandnoneofthemspeakingtotheothers.

Matterspertainingtosectsaresectarian(sekTEReeun).• The company was divided by sectarian fighting between the research andmarketing departments, each of which had its own idea about what the newcomputershouldbeabletodo.

Tobesectarian isalso tobesingle-mindedlydevoted toasect.Nonsectarianmeansnotpertainingtoanyparticularsectorgroup.

• MillyhasgrownsosectariansincebecomingaMooniethatshecan’treallytalktoyouanymorewithouttryingtoconvertyou.

SEDENTARY (SED un ter ee) adj largely confined to sitting down; not physicallyactive

• Writing isasedentary life; justabout theonlyexerciseyouget iswalking to themailboxtoseewhetheranyone’ssentyouacheck,andyoudon’tevenneedtodothatoften.

• Whenpeople get older, they tend to becomemoresedentary;myoctogenarianauntevenuseshercartovisithernext-doorneighbor.

• Ifyouwant tostay inshapewiththatsedentary job,you’llhavetomakesuretogetlotsofexerciseinyoursparetime.

SELF-MADE(selfMAYD) adj havingsucceededinlifewithouthelpfromothers• John is a self-made man; everything he’s accomplished, he’s accomplishedwithoutbenefitofeducationorsupportfrompowerfulfriends.Likemostself-mademen, John can’t stop talking about how much he’s managed to accomplishdespitehishumbleorigins.

• Beingawildlysuccessfulself-madepolitician,Maggiehadlittlesympathywiththeideaofhelpingotherswhohadn’tgottenasfarasshe.“Ipulledmyselfupbymyownbootstraps;whycan’tthey?”shewouldsay,staringoutherlimousinewindowatthewretchedsoulslivingincardboardboxesonthestreets.

Self-esteem(selfiSTEEM)istheopiniononehasofoneself.• Patty’s self-esteem is so low that she can’t even bring herself to say hello topeopleinpassingbecauseshecan’timaginewhytheywouldwanttotalktoher.

Somethingisself-evident(selfEVidunt)ifitisobviouswithoutneedingtobepointedout.

• MostAmericansbelievethatcertainrights,suchastheright tospeakfreely,areself-evident.

Aself-possessed (self puhZEST) person is onewhohas good control of his or herfeelings.

• Theonly timeValerie’sself-possession (selfpuhZESHun)everbreaksdown iswhensomeoneintheaudienceyawns.

A self-righteous (self RYE chus) person is sanctimonious, smug, and intolerant ofothers,believingthateverythingheorshedoesisright.

• “It’sagood thingsomeofushaveproper respect forothers’possessions,”saidTiffanyself-righteously after discovering that her roommatehadwipedher noseonthehandkerchiefthatTiffanyhadbought.

Aself-satisfied (self SAT is fyde) person is, obviously, satisfied—oversatisfied—withhimselforherself.

• Myself-satisfiedsisterannouncedtomymotherthatshehaddoneamuchbetterjobofmakingherbedthanIhad.

Aself-starter(selfSTARtur)takesinitiativeanddoesn’tneedthehelpofotherstogetgoing.

• Sandra is a great self-starter. The second the professor gives a paperassignment,sherushesouttothelibraryandchecksoutallthebooksshe’llneed.I’mnotagoodself-starteratall.IprefertositaroundwatchingTVuntilthedayofthedeadlineandthenasktheprofessorforanextension.

SENTENTIOUS(senTENshus) adj preachy;pompous;excessivelymoralizing;self-righteous

• The new headmistress made a sententious speech in which she urged thestudentbodytofollowherillustriousexample.

• I canstandaboring lecture,butnotasententious one,especiallywhen I knowthattheprofessorgivingithasabsolutelynothingtobragabout.

SERENE(suhREEN) adj calm;peaceful;tranquil;untroubled• Inthelake’sserenebluedepthsliethekeysmyfatherhurledoffthedeckinafitoftemperacoupleofdaysagoafterlearningthatIhadtotaledhiscar.

• “Trytolookserene,dear,”said thepageantdirector to thegirlplayingtheVirginMary.“MaryshouldnotlookasthoughshewantstopunchJosephout.”

Thestateofbeingsereneisserenity(suhRENuhtee).• Kellywasanervouswreckforanhourbeforetheguestsarrived,butassoonasthedoorbellrangsheturnedintoserenityitself.

SERPENTINE(SURpunteen) adj snakelikeineithershapeormovement;winding,

asasnaketravelsAserpent(SURpunt)isasnake.Tobeserpentineistobelikeaserpent.

• Dandespises interstatehighways,preferring to travelonserpentine state roadsthatwindthroughthehillsandvalleys.

Foraclosesynonym,seeourentryfortortuous.

SHACKLE(SHAKul) n amanacle;arestraint• As soon as the bad guys left the room, the clever detective slipped out of hisshacklesbyusinghisteethtofashionasmallkeyfromaballpointpen.

• “Throw off the shackles of your restrictive upbringing and come skinny-dippingwithme!”shoutedAndyashestrippedoffhisclothesand jumped into thepool,buteveryoneelsejuststoodquietlyandstaredathim.

Thiswordcanalsobeusedasaverb.• Thecircustrainerusedheavyironchainstoshacklehisbearswhentheyweren’tperforming.

SHIBBOLETH (SHIB uh luth) n a distinctiveword, pronunciation, or behavior thattypifiesaparticulargroup;asloganorcatchword

• That large government programs are inherently bad is a shibboleth of theRepublicanparty.

Ashibbolethcanalsobeacommonsayingthatisessentiallymeaningless.• The old housewife’s shibboleth that being cold makes a person more likely tocatchacoldhasbeendiscreditedbymodernmedicalexperts.

SHREWD(shrood) adj wily;cunning;sly• Foxes actually are every bit as shrewd as they’re portrayed to be in folklore;hunterssayfoxesunderpursuitareoftenabletotrickeventrainedfoxhoundsintofollowingafalsetrail.

• There was a shrewd look in the old shopkeeper’s eye as he watched the cityslickersventureintohiscountrystoreandcalculatedthepercentagebywhichhewould be able to overcharge them for junk that none of the locals would havegivenasecondglance.

SINGULAR(SINGgyuhlur) adj exceptional;unique;unusual• Nellhasasingulartalentforgettingintotrouble;theothermorning,shemanagedtobreakherleg,insultawomanatthepostoffice,dropsomeeggsatthegrocerystore,paintherbedroomgreen,andcutdownthebigmapletreeinthenext-doorneighbor’sfrontyard.

• Theodore’ssingular facilitywithnumbersmakes lifedifficult forhis teacher,whofindsitembarrassingtobecorrectedbyafirstgrader.

Singulardoesnotmeansingle.Tobesingularistobeexceptional;itisnottobealone.


1. seclusion a. wily2. sect b. snakelike3. sedentary c. preachy4. self-made d. calm5. sententious e. largelyconfinedtosittingdown6. serene f. havingsucceededwithouthelpfromothers7. serpentine g. smallreligioussubgroup8. shackle h. manacle9. shibboleth i. aloneness10. shrewd j. catchword

SKIRMISH(SKURmish) n afightbetweensmallnumbersoftroops;abriefconflict• I was expecting a couple of skirmishes during theScout camp-out—argumentsaboutwhogot toshower first,and things like that—butnot thisout-and-outwarbetweenthegirlsinthedifferentpatrols.

• SoldiersonbothsidesfeltinsultedwhentheCNNreporterreferredtotheirrecentbattleasa“skirmish.”

• Askirmish broke out at the hockey gamewhen a player threw a punch at theopposingteam’sgoalie.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• Theprincipalskirmishedwiththestudentsovertheissueofhairlength.

SKITTISH(SKITish) adj nervous;easilystartled;jumpy• The farmanimalsallseemedskittish,andnowonder—awolfwaswalkingbackandforthoutsidetheirpen,readingacookbookandsharpeninghisknife.

• “Whyareyousoskittish tonight?” thebabysitterasked theyoungchildren. “Is itmypointedteeth,orisitthesnakeinmyknapsack?”

SLAKE(slayk) v toquench;tosatisfy;toassuage• Sodadoesn’tslakeyourthirstaswellasplainoldwater.• Irene’sthirstforcompanionshipwasslakedbyhernext-doorneighbor,whospentmostofeverydaydrinkingcoffeewithherinherkitchen.

• Myhairdresser’sadmirationslakedmyfearthatshavingmyheadhadn’tbeenthebestmove.

SOLACE(SAHLis) n consolation;comfort• Thebroken-heartedcountry-westernsinger foundsolace inabottleofbourbon;thenhewroteasongaboutfindingsolaceinabottleofbourbon.

• TheRedSoxjustlostthepennant,andthereisnosolaceforbaseballfansinthecityofBostontonight.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• I’veheardalotofcome-onsinmyday,but“MayIsolaceyou?”hastobeafirst.

SOLIDARITY(sahluhDARuhtee) n senseofunity;asenseofsharingacommongoalorattitude

• WorkingonNewYear’sEvewasn’tasdepressingasRussellhadbeen fearing;therewasasenseofsolidarityinthenewsroomthatwasatleastasenjoyableasanyNewYear’sEvepartyhehadeverbeento.

• Topromoteasenseofsolidarityamongourcampers,wemake themwearuglyuniformsandwakethemupearly;theydon’thaveagoodtime,buttheylearntosticktogetherbecausetheyhateourrulessomuch.

• SolidaritywasanappropriatenameforthePolishlaborunionsinceitrepresentedadecisionbyworkerstostanduptogetheragainsttheirgovernment.

SOPHOMORIC(sahfuhMAWRik) adj juvenile;childishlygoofy• Thedeanofstudentssuspendedthefraternity’sprivilegesbecause itsmembershad streaked through the library wearing togas, soaped the windows of theadministrationbuilding,andengaged inothersophomoricanticsduringParents’Weekend.

• “Iexpectthebestmantobesophomoric—butnotthegroom.Now,givemethatslingshot, and leave your poor fiancée alone!” theminister scoldedAndy at hisweddingrehearsal.

• Themisbehavingtenthgradersdidn’tmindbeingcalledsophomoric;afterall,theyweresophomores(SAHFuhmawrz).


SORDID(SAWRdid) adj morallyvile;filthy;squalid• “WhatasordidlittlestoryIreadinthenewspaperthismorning,”AuntHelensaidtohernephew.“Doyouthinkthey’lleverfindthemanwho—”Shewhisperedtherestintohisearsothatherimpressionableyoungniecewouldn’theartheterriblethingsthemanhaddone.

• Formanyyears,itturnedout,Mr.RubblehadbeeninvolvedinasordidaffairwiththedaughterofMr.andMrs.Flintstone.

• ThisisjustaboutthemostsordidcottageI’veeverseen.Lookatthatmoldonthewalls! Look at the slime on the floor!When I track down that rental agent, I’mgoingtogiveherapieceofmymind.

SOVEREIGN(SAHVrun) n supremeruler;monarch• Wouldn’tthepeopleinthiscountrybesurprisedtolearnthattheirsovereignisnotahumanbutamynahbird?

Sovereign can also be used as an adjective, in which case it means principal orforemost.

• Gettingthosekidstoschoolsafelyshouldbethebusdriver’ssovereignconcern,butI’mafraidhe’sreallymoreinterestedinfindingaplacetostopforadoughnutassoonashehasfinishedhisroute.

Sovereignty (SAHV run tee)meanssupremacyof authority—it’swhat kings exerciseovertheirkingdoms.

• ThedisgruntledCaliforniansdeclaredsovereigntyoversomerocksinthemiddleofthePacificOceananddeclaredtheirintentionofestablishinganewnation.


SPATE(spayt) n asuddenoutpouring• Juliahas receivedaspate ofmediacoverage in thedayssincehernewmoviewas released; last week, her picture was on the covers of both Time andNewsweek.

• “The recent spate of pickpocketing in the area makes me think that Gotham’scitizens are ignoring our public awareness ad campaign,” bemoaned PoliceCommissionerGordon.

InBritishusage,aspateisaliteralflood.• Whenthespatehadabated,thevillagerswerehorrifiedtodiscoverhowharditistoremovemudfromupholsteredfurniture.

Forasynonym,seeourentryforinflux.


1. singular a. consolation

2. skirmish b. suddenoutpouring3. skittish c. fightbetweensmallnumbersoftroops4. slake d. quench5. solace e. exceptional6. solidarity f. juvenile7. sophomoric g. nervous8. sordid h. senseofunity9. sovereign i. supremeruler10. spate j. morallyvile

SPECIOUS (SPEEshus) adj something thatseemscorrectorappropriatebut thatlacksrealworth;deceptive;misleading;notgenuine

• That’sspeciousreasoning,Olivia;thefactthatbothrosesandbloodarereddoesnotmeanthatrosescontainblood.

• Medicaldoctorshave longviewedchiropracticasaspeciousdiscipline,but thatattitude has changed somewhat in recent years as a number of careful studieshavedemonstratedtheeffectivenessofcertainchiropractictechniques.

SPECTER(SPEKtur) n ghost;phantom• The specter of old Miss Shaffer still haunts this house, making mysteriouscoughingnoisesandleavingtatteredissuesofTVGuideinunexpectedspots.

• As the girls gazed at him, transfixedwith horror, he gradually shriveled up andturnedintoaspecterbeforetheireyes.“Itoldyouweshouldn’ttouchthatswitch,”SuzysnappedatMuffy.

Aspecterdoesn’thavetobealiteralghost.• ThespecteroftheGreatDepressioncontinuedtohaunttheReeses,makingthemreluctanttospendmoneyonanythingthatseemedevenremotelyfrivolous.

Tobespectral(SPEKtrul)istobeghostlyorspecterlike.• The ladies in the Library Club were hoping to give the Halloween funhouse athoroughlyspectral atmosphere, but their limited budget permitted them to buyonlyacoupleofrollsoforangeandblackcrepepaperandsomecandycorn.

SPECTRUM(SPEKtrum) n abroadsequenceorrangeofdifferentbutrelatedthingsorideas

• Theentirespectrumofacting theories is represented in thisworkshop, fromthenotionthatallyouhavetodotoactisacttothebeliefthatyoumusttrulybecomethecharacterinordertobeconvincing.

• Ifthespectrumofpoliticalbeliefswereanactualline,Rob’sviewswouldoccupyapoint slightly left of center. He’s liberal enough to irritate his parents, but too

conservativetoearnthetotaltrustofhisleftistfriends.

SPURN(spurn) v torejectdisdainfully;toscorn• Thefemalepeacockspurnedthemale’sadvancesdayafterday;shetooksolittlenoticeofhim thathemightaswellhavesoldhis tail feathersand tried tomaketimewiththechickens.

• Preschoolersusuallyspurn theirparents’attempts toserve themhealthymeals;theyturnuptheirnosesatnice,wholesomefruitsandvegetablesandaskwherethechipsare.

• ElizabethspurnedJeff’sapologies;shecouldseethathewasn’tsorryatall,andthathewas,infact,onthevergeoflaughing.

STALWART(STAWLwurt) adj sturdilybuilt;robust;valiant;unwavering• “Don’t forget,” Elbert droned to Frieda, “that those brawny, stalwart youths youseemtoadmiresomuchhavelittletorecommendthem,intellectuallyspeaking.”

• Thechipmunkmadeastalwartefforttodefendherbabiesfromthesalliesofthecat, but itwasmy owneffortswith awater pistol that finally drove the attackeraway.

• Ernie has been a stalwart friend through thick and thin, even when I used topretendnottorecognizehimasIpassedhiminthehall.

STARK(stahrk) adj utter;unmitigated;harsh;desolate• Starkterrorleapedintothebabysitter’seyeswhensherealizedthatboththecarandthetripletsweremissing.

• AlumproseinBly’sthroatwhenshesawtheviewoutherapartmentwindowforthefirsttime;theroomfacedastark,desertedalleywhoseonlyadornmentwasarustyoldfireescape.

Thiswordcanalsobeanadverb,inwhichcaseitmeansutterlyandabsolutely.• Billyusedtoanswerthedoorstarknaked,justtoseewhatwouldhappen;lotsofthingshappened.

• If you play that song onemore time, I will go stark ravingmad, and throw thestereooutthewindow.

STINT(stint) v torestrictorholdbackon;tobefrugal• “Please don’tstint, ladies,” wheedled the conman as hewaved his jar arounddrunkenly.“Everypennyyougivemegoestosupporttheorphanage.”

• David’seyesglowedashebeheldhishotfudgesundae;thewaitercertainlyhadnot stinted on the hot fudge, which was flowing out of the bowl and onto thetablecloth.

Theadjectiveisstinting(orunstinting).Whenstintisusedasanoun,itmeansaperiod

oftimespentdoingajoborspecialduty.• Edwouldhavedoneastintinthemilitary,buthedidn’tlikethethoughtofhavingtokeephissergeant’sshoespolished.

STIPEND(STYEpund) n income;allowance;salary• Thestipend this university pays its teaching assistants is so low that some ofthemareforcedtorummageforfoodinthedumpsterbehindMcDonald’s.

• Inadditiontohiscommissions,thesalesmanreceivedasmallstipendtocoverhistravelexpenses.

• Anallowanceisastipendthatachildreceivesfromhisorherparents.Itisalwaystoosmall.


STOLID (STAHL id) adj not easily roused to emotion; impassive; apathetic;phlegmatic

• Notarippleofemotionpassedacrossherbrother’sstolidcountenancewhenshetoldhimthathisbestfriendhadjustaskedhertomarryhim.“That’snice,”hesaid,withoutlookingawayfromtheTV.

• Our local veterinarian no longer treats farm animals because the stolidexpressionsofcowsmakehimfeeluneasyanddepressed.

• Inprofessionalfootball,thestolidperformerssometimeshavelongercareersthanthe flashy superstars,whohavea tendency toburn themselvesout after a fewyears.

STOUT(stowt) adj plump;stocky;substantial• Mr.Bartonwasbuilta littlebit likeabeachball;hewasstout in themiddleandskinnyateitherend.

• Mr.Reardonnevergoesforawalkwithoutcarryingastoutstickalong;heusesittosteadyhisbalance,knockobstaclesoutofhispath,andscareawaydogsandsmallchildren.

Stoutalsomeansbrave,plucky,orresolute.The“stout-heartedmen”inthewell-knownsongarecourageousmen.

• “Idon’tmindwalkinghomeoverHauntedHill,”thelittleboysaidstoutly.


1. specious a. stocky2. specter b. reject3. spectrum c. robust4. spurn d. restrict5. stalwart e. phantom6. stark f. desolate7. stint g. noteasilyrousedtoemotion8. stipend h. deceptive9. stolid i. broadsequence10. stout j. allowance

STRATAGEM (STRAT uh jum) n a maneuver designed to outwit an enemy; ascheme;aruse

• ThePiedPiper’sstratagemwassuccessful;entrancedbythesoundofhispipe,theratsfollowedhimoutoftownandnevercameback.

• Our stratagem for replacing the real newspaper with a parody issue involvedkidnapping the driver of the delivery truck and taking over the delivery routeourselves.

• Jordan has devised a little stratagem to test whether the Easter Bunny reallyexists; the next time hewrites hima letter, he’s going to drop it in themailboxwithoutshowingittohisparentsfirst.

Todevisestratagemstowardaparticulargoalistodevelopastrategy.

STUPENDOUS (stooPENdus) adj remarkable; extraordinary; remarkably largeorextraordinarilygigantic

• EveryonehadtoldChettoexpectastupendousviewfromthetopoftheEmpireStateBuilding,buttheweatherwasfoggyonthedayhevisited,andallhecouldseewasclouds.

• AstupendouspileoflaundryawaitedPhylliswhenshereturnedfromherbusinesstrip;shehadforgottentotellherchildrenthattheyshoulddotheirownwashwhileshewasgone.

• ToclimbMountEverestonabicyclewouldbeastupendousaccomplishment.

STUPOR(STOOpur) n astunnedcondition;near-unconsciousness;apathy;inertia• AfterThanksgivingdinner,wewerealltoofulltodoanythingexceptliearoundonthefloorinastuporandwatchthedogwalkincirclesinfrontofthefireplace.

• Polls indicated that the new anchorman was sending viewers into a stupor ofboredom,sohewasquicklyreplacedbyabatontwirlerandrelegatedtodoingtheweatherreport.

Tobe inastupor is tobestuporous (STOOpurus).Tostupefy (STOOpuh fy) is toastonishorstun.

SUBSIDE(subSYDE) v tosinkorsettle;todiminish;tolessen• Thehouse’sfoundationsubsidedtothepointatwhichthefirstfloorwindowswereindangerofdisappearingfromview.

• Mrs.Baileyeyedherstudentssternlyuntiltheirchatteringhadsubsidedandtheywerereadytohearherviewsonlinguisticdevelopment.

• Thepopularnewdrughelpsanxieties tosubside,but itdoesnoteliminate themcompletely.

• Cornelia’shomesicknesssubsided rapidly,andby theendof the firstweek,shefoundthatshehadcometopreferbeingatcamptobeingathome.

SUBSIDIARY (sub SID ee er ee) adj supplemental; additional; secondary orsubordinate

• TheWatsons pay their kids both aweekly allowance and a subsidiary sum fordoingparticularchores;thesystemworkeduntil thechildrendecidedtheywouldratherbebrokethandochores.

• PoorCarriedoesn’tseemtorealizethatshe’sstuckinasubsidiarypositionforatleastthenearfuture;Mr.Vitalewillneverpromoteherunlesssomeonequits,andnoone’sgoingtoquitwiththejobmarketthewayitis.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun,inwhichcaseitoftenreferstoasmallcompanyownedbyorcloselyassociatedwithalargercompany.

• AcmeCorp’smainbusinessismanufacturingboomerangs,butithassubsidiariesthatmakeeverythingfromtennisballstofrenchfries.

SUBSIDIZE (SUB suh dyze) v to provide financial aid; to make a financialcontribution

• Theprofessor’sassertionthatcigarettesmokingcanbehealthfulwasdiscreditedwhenareporterdiscoveredthatthetobaccoindustryhadsubsidizedhisresearch.

• The school lunch program is subsidized by the state; the school system isreimbursed by the state for a portion of what it spends on pizza and peachcobbler.

SUBSTANTIATE(subSTANsheeayt) v toprove;toverify;toconfirm• Experts from the transit department were unable to substantiate the woman’sassertion that little men from the center of the earth had invaded the subwaysystemandwereplanningtotakeovertheworld.

• Theprosecutordidherbesttosubstantiatethechargeagainstthedefendant,butitwasanuphilljob;shecouldn’tfindasinglewitnesswillingtotestifyagainsthim.

• Lawrence’sentirescientificcareer isbuiltonunsubstantiated theories;acase inpointishisten-yearstudyofcommunicationbetweenrocks.

Substantial isarelatedwordthatmeansofsignificantsize,worth,orimportance.Youcouldsaythatbysubstantiatingsomething,youmakeitmoresubstantial.

SUBTERFUGE(SUBturfyooj) n artifice;atrickorstratagem;aruse• Pearl isn’t allowed towear jeans to school, so she has gotten into the habit ofleavingapairofjeansinthebushesbehindherhouseandchangingintotheminherbestfriend’sgarage.Thislittlesubterfugeisabouttobediscovered,however,becausePearl’smotherisdroppinginontheschoolunexpectedlytodaytobringherthelunchboxsheleftathomethismorning.

SUFFICE(suhFYSE) v tobesufficient;tobeenough• At Thanksgiving dinner, Grandma said that she wasn’t very hungry, and that acrustofbreadandafewdropsofwaterwouldsuffice.

• Instructioninreadingandwritingalonewillnotsufficetoprepareourchildrenfortherealworld; theymustalsobegivenasolidgrounding inmathematics,andapassingfamiliaritywiththemartialarts.

SUFFRAGE(SUFrij) n therighttovoteWomen who advocated the extension of suffrage to women were known assuffragettes(sufruhJETS).

• Amazingthoughitseemstoday,suffrageforwomenwasahotlycontestedissueat the beginning of the 20th century. Many men—and many women, for thatmatter—seriouslybelievedthatchoosingamongpoliticalcandidateswouldplacetoogreatastrainonwomen’ssupposedlyfeebleintellects,andwomenwerenotguaranteedtherighttovoteuntil1920.

• Universal suffrage is the right of all people to vote, regardless of race, sex,ownershipofproperty,andsoforth.



1. stratagem a. prove2. stupendous b. stunnedcondition3. stupor c. artifice

4. subside d. maneuverdesignedtooutwitanenemy5. subsidiary e. providefinancialaid6. subsidize f. remarkable7. substantiate g. sink8. subterfuge h. supplemental9. suffice i. besufficient10. suffrage j. righttovote

SUFFUSE(suhFYOOZ) v tocover;tooverspread;tosaturate• Acrimsonblushsuffusedthetimidmaiden’sivorycheeksassherealizedthatshehadforgottentoputonclothesbeforeleavingthehouse.

• The roomthatwasonce filledwithdazzlingsunbeams isnowsuffusedwith theuglygrayishlightofafluorescentlamp.

• Suffusingthemeatwithamarinadewilladdflavor,butitwon’ttenderizethemeat.Theadjectiveissuffuse(suhFYOOS).(Noticethedifferentpronunciation.)

SUMPTUOUS(SUMPchoous) adj luxurious;splendid;lavish• Thewallswerecoveredwithsumptuoussilk tapestries, the floorswith the finestEasternrugs,andIfeltstupidstandingthere,becauseIwaswearingcutoffs.

• Asumptuous feastawaitedthetravelerswhentheyreachedthegreathalloftheking’scastle.

SUPERSEDE (soo pur SEED) v to take the place of; to supplant; to make(something)obsolete

• Every few minutes, someone introduces a new antiaging cream that allegedlysupersedes all the existing antiaging creams on the market; it’s a wonder wehaven’tallturnedintobabies.

• Your new address list supersedes the address list you were given last week,whichsupersededthelistofthepreviousweek,andwillbesupersedednextweekbyanupdatedlisttobedistributedatthattime.

Notecarefullythespellingofthisword.

SUPINE(sooPYNE) adj lyingonone’sback• Shirleylaysupineonherdeckchair,soakingupthesunshineand,intheprocess,turninghercomplexionintoleather.

• Whenyouhavebothbrokenlegsintraction,you’dbetterstaysupineoryou’llbeawfullyuncomfortable.

Supine issometimesusedfigurativelytodescribeapersonwhoisinertorinactive.AChinese legend speaks of a man so supine that he starved to death because hecouldn’tbebotheredtoturnaroundanecklaceofbiscuitshiswifehadplacedaroundhisneck.Theoppositeofsupineisprone(prohn).Tobeproneistobelyingfacedown.


SUPPLICATION(supluhKAYshun) n humbleprayer;earnestentreaty• It’s almost frightening to walk through the streets of any city nowadays, sincetherearesomanypeoplemakingsupplicationsforfoodorsparechange.

• The priest asked our prayers and supplications for the sick and dying of theparish.

Tomake asupplication is to supplicate (SUP luh kayt). A personwho does so is asupplicant(SUPluhkunt).

• Thekinghassetasideapartofeverydaytohearthepetitionsofhissupplicants,someofwhomhavejourneyedhundredsofmilesinordertoaskhimfavors.

SUPPRESS(suhPRES) v tooverpower;tosubdue;tosquash• MomandDadsuppressedourbriefshowofrebellionby threateningtoholdourhandsinpublicifwedidn’tbehave.

• Everyone had expected the Soviet army to suppress the uprisings against thecoup, but for once the army was behind the populace. The soldiers’ refusal toquashthedemonstratorseffectivelyendedthecoup.

Seeourlistingforrepress.

SURMISE(surMYZE) v toconjecture;toguess• Fromthemessagestheeight-ballhasbeensendingme,Isurmisethatsomeone’sgoingtogivemeapresentsoon.

• Gazingatthegroupwithapracticedeye,thetourguidesurmisedthat25percentofthetouristswouldwanttoseefamouspeople’shouses,25percentwouldwanttovisitmuseumsandcathedrals,andtheremaining50percentwouldspendmostofthetourwonderingwhentheywouldhaveachancetogotothebathroom.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun,inwhichcaseitmeansguessorsupposition.AsKeatswrote,Cortez’smenlookedateachother“withawildsurmise”whentheyfirstsawthePacific Ocean and realized that they had achieved their goal. Or, rather, they hadachieved the goal of Balboa, who, as Keats either didn’t know or didn’t care, wasactuallythefirstEuropeantoseethePacificfromthisspot.

Thenounispronounced“SURmyze.”


SURREAL (suh REE ul) adj having an unreal, fantastic quality; hallucinatory;dreamlike

• Bobwasso tiredwhenhesteppedoff the train thathis firstviewof Indiahadafaintlysurrealquality;theswarmingcrowds,thestrangelanguage,and,aboveall,the cowswalking in the streetsmade him feel as though he’d stumbled into adream.

• Alice’sadventuresinWonderlandwererathersurreal,perhapsbecauseitturnedout(disappointingly)thattheyactuallywerepartofadream.

SUSCEPTIBLE (suh SEP tuh bul) adj capable of being influenced by something;vulnerableorreceptiveto

• InTheWizardofOz,theemotionallysusceptibleTinManbeginstocryeverytimearemotelysadthoughtpassesthroughhishollowhead.

Thenounissusceptibility(suhseptuhBILitee).• Ray’ssusceptibilitytonewfadshasn’tdiminishedinrecentyears;henowspendsmuchofhistimesittingonanaluminumfoilmatinorderto“metallicize”hisjointsandligaments.

SWEEPING(SWEEping) adj far-reaching;extensive;wide-ranging• The new CEO’s promise to bring sweeping change to the company basicallyamountstohimsaying,“Alotofyouhadbetterbereadytogettheax.”

• IwishMatthewwouldn’tmakesuchsweepingjudgments;whatgiveshimtherighttodecidethatanentirecontinentisinbadtaste?

• Theprincipal’ssweepinggazemadeeverykidinthelunchroomtremble.

SYNTAX (SIN taks) n the patterns or rules governing the way grammaticalsentencesareformedinagivenlanguage

• Poorsyntaxisthesamethingasbadgrammar,ain’tit?

SYSTEMIC(sysTEMik) adj affectingtheentiresystem,especiallytheentirebody• Theconsultantsaidthattheproblemwasnotisolatedtoonedepartment,butwassystemic;thatis,itaffectedtheentirecompany.

• “Systemiccirculation”isanothertermforthecirculatorysysteminvertebrates.Asystemicillnessisonethataffectstheentirebody.Systemiclupuserythematosus,forexample,isanautoimmunediseaseinwhichthebodyessentiallybecomesallergictoitself.

Don’t confuse this word with systematic (sis tuh MAT ik), which means orderly or

meticulous.



1. suffuse a. humbleprayer2. sumptuous b. overpower3. supersede c. lyingontheback4. supine d. overspread5. supplication e. grammar6. suppress f. taketheplaceof7. surmise g. far-reaching8. surreal h. luxurious9. susceptible i. hallucinatory10. sweeping j. affectingtheentiresystem11. syntax k. conjecture12. systemic l. capableofbeinginfluenced

TTACTICAL (TAK ti kul) adj having to do with tactics, especially naval or militarytactics;markedbyclevertacticsordeftmaneuvering

• Theadmiralmadea tactical errorwhenheorderedhismen todrag their shipsacrossthedesertaspartofthesurpriseattack.

• “Tellmeaboutthat,Georgina,”beganMr.Hopp—andthen,realizingthattheuseofher firstnamesoearly in theeveninghadbeena tacticalblunder,hequicklyadded,“MissBringhurst,Imean.”

TAINT(taynt) n contaminant;atraceofsomethingspoiled,contaminated,off-flavor,orotherwiseoffensive

• Theflavorof therich,butterysaucepickedupaslight taint fromthemousethathadfallenintothesauceboatanddrowned.

• There’sataintofmadnessinthatfamily;they’reokayforagenerationortwo,andthen suddenly one of them forsakes the comforts of the family house for thechickencoop.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• I’m sure my mother-in-law meant well, but as far as I’m concerned herpeacemaking efforts are tainted by my knowledge that she tried to pay herdaughternottomarryme.

TEDIUM(TEEdeeum) n dullness;monotony;boredom• Oh, gosh, another evening at Gwen’s house—always the same bland food,always the same people with nothing to say, always the same slide show ofGwen’stropicalfish!Idon’tthinkIcanstandthetedium.

• Theinitialexcitementofsummervacationhadgraduallyturnedtotedium,andbytheendofAugust,thechildrenwerereadytogobacktoschool.

• Althoughsomefindthecomposer’sworkbrilliant,othersfindittedious(TEEdeeus); for example, there is his seven-hour composition inwhich a single note isplayedoverandover.

TEEM(teem) v toswarm;tobeinundated;tooverrun• When thewaiterbroughtBob thecheesecourse,Bobgasped; thecheesewasteemingwithmaggots.

• Onaclearnighthighinthemountains,theskyteemswithstars.• We’dbetterhiresomeextrasecurityfortheconcert;it’sgoingtobeteemingwithhopped-up kids, and they’ll be furious when they find out that the main act

canceledlastnight.

TEMPORAL (TEM pur ul) adj pertaining to time; pertaining to life or earthlyexistence;noneternal;short-lived

• Jetlagisakindoftemporaldisorientation;rapidtravelacrossseveraltimezonescanthrowoffatraveler’ssenseoftime.

• Whyisitthattemporalpleasuresseemsomuchmorefunthaneternalones?I’drathereatahot-fudgesundaethansitonacloudplayingaharp.

• As the rich oldman approached ninety, he grew less concerned with temporalmatters and devoted more and more energy to deciding which of his childrenshouldbeleftoutofhiswill.


TEMPORIZE(TEMpuhryze) v tostall;tocausedelaythroughindecision• An important skill required of television newscasters is an ability to temporizeduring technical difficulties so that viewers don’t become bored and switchchannels.

• Theco-opboardwasafraidtotelltheactressflatoutthattheydidn’twanthertobuyanapartmentintheirbuilding,sotheytemporizedbysayingtheyhadtolookintosomebuildingrestrictionsfirst.

• “Allright,allright,I’llopenthesafeforyou,”Clarencetemporized,hopingthatthepolicewouldarrivesoon.“Butinordertodoit,I’llneedlotsofhotwaterandsomebirthdaycandles.”

TEPID(TEPid) adj lukewarm;halfhearted• Pizzaisbestwhenit’sservedpiping-hot,whilesomesaladstastebettertepidoratroomtemperature.

• Ababy’sbathwatershouldbetepid,nothot;youcantestitwithyourelbowbeforeyouputthebabyin.

• Theteacher’spraiseofTina’spaintingwastepid,perhapsbecauseTina’spaintingwasanunflatteringcaricatureoftheteacher.

• “Oh,IguessI’llgotothepromwithyou,”Monasaidtepidly,“butIreservetherighttochangemymindifsomethingbettercomesalong.”

THESIS (THEEsis) n a theory tobeproven;asubject foracomposition;a formalpaperusingoriginalresearchonasubject

• At the first Conference on Extraterrestrials, Caroline Riggs advanced hercontroversialthesisthataliensoperatemostofournation’sbowlingalleys.

• Thethesisstatementofawrittencompositionisasentencethatstatesthetheme

ofthecomposition.• Stu iswritinghissenior thesisonAnglo-Saxonbuilding techniques,a topiche’sfairlycertainnooneelse in theseniorclasswillbeworkingon; the thesisofhisthesis is that Anglo-Saxon building techniques were more sophisticated thanmodernscholarsgenerallybelieve.

Ifyouhavemorethanonethesis,youhavetheses(THEEseez).Antithesis(anTITHuhsis)isadirectopposite,asintheantithesisofgoodisevil.


THORNY(THAWRnee) adj fullofdifficulties;tough;painfulArosebushisliterallythorny;aproblemmaybefigurativelyso.

• Beforewegoanyfurther,we’llhavetoresolvethethornyquestionofwho’sgoingtopayforthenextround.

• Whethertoletchildrengooutaloneafterdarkisathornytopicfortheparentsofurbanteenagers.Isitmoreimportanttokeepthemsafeathomeortoallowthemtodevelopasenseofindependence?

THRESHOLD (THRESH ohld) n the sill of a doorway; a house’s or building’sentrance;anypointofbeginningorentering

• NomatterhowmanytimesIseehomevideosofanewgroomdroppinghisbridewhenhetriestocarryheroverthethreshold,Istilllaugh.

• Ambrosehungasheafofgrainoverthe thresholdofhishousetokeepdemonsaway;tokeepburglarsaway,heputalegholdtrapjustinsidethedoor.

• The dean told the new graduates that they stood at the threshold of a greatadventure;whathedidn’tsaywasthatformanyofthemtheadventurewouldbeunemployment.


1. tactical a. pertainingtotime2. taint b. stall3. tedium c. havingtodowithtactics4. teem d. dullness5. temporal e. fullofdifficulties6. temporize f. sillofadoorway7. tepid g. swarm

8. thesis h. contaminant9. thorny i. theorytobeproven10. threshold j. lukewarm

THROTTLE(THRAHtul) v tochoke;tostrangle;toworkafuelleverorfeedtheflowoffueltoanengine

• “If thatcat jumpsontothecounteronemoretime,I’mgoingto throttleher,”saidBryce,risinggrimlytohisfeet.

• Thepilot’sfranticthrottlingwastonoavail;theenginewouldnotrespondbecausetheairplanewasoutoffuel.

Thiswordcanalsobeanoun.Acar’sthrottleisitsgaspedal.Tomakeacargofaster,yousteponthethrottle.Torunanengineatfullthrottleistorunitatfullspeed.Todoanythingelseatfullthrottleistodoitrapidlyandwithsingle-mindedness.

• WhenNickihasanideaforapoem,sherunstoherdeskandworksatfullthrottleuntilthepoemisfinished;shedoesn’tevenstoptoanswerthephoneorgotothebathroom.

THWART(thwawrt) v topreventfrombeingaccomplished;tofrustrate;tohinder• Iwanted to do somework today, but it seemed as though fate thwartedme ateveryturn;firstsomeoneonthephonetriedtosellmeamagazinesubscription,thenmy computer’s printer broke down, and then I discovered thatmy favoritemoviewasonTV.

• There’snothwartingYogiBearoncehegetsitintohismindthathewantsapicnicbasket;hewillsleeptillnoon,butbefore it’sdark,he’llhaveeverypicnicbasketthat’sinJellystonePark.

TIMOROUS(TIMurus) adj fearful;easilyfrightened• “Wouldyoumindgettingoffmy foot, sir?” thewizenedold ladyasked ina tiny,timorousvoice.

• OnHalloweennight,theDeMadosdecoratetheirhousewithskeletonsandbats,andtimoroustrick-or-treatersareafraidtoapproachtheirdoor.

• Hannah’stimorousboyfriendbrokeupwithherbyaskingher friendTinatodo itforhim.

Timorousisrelatedtothewordtimid.

TITILLATE(TITuhlayt) v toexcite;tostimulate;totease• It’sreallycrueltotitillateafriend’scuriositybystartingtoshareachoicepieceofgossipandthenabruptlysaying,“No,Ireallyshouldn’tspreadthisaround.”

• Appetizersaresupposedtotitillatepeople’sappetites,notstuffthemtothegills.

Titillationisthenounformoftheword.• Despitethetitillationof theadvertising, themovie itselfwassuchaturkeythat itfailedafterthefirstweekend.

TITULAR(TICHuhlur) adj intitleornameonly;nominal• The titular head of the company is Lord Arden, but the person who’s really incharge ishis secretary; she tellshimwhom tohire,whom to fire,andwhom tomeetforlunch.

• Thefamily’stitularbreadwinnerismyfather,butit’sMom’strustfundthatactuallyputsfoodonthetable.

Titularalsomeansbearingthesamenameasthetitle.• Flipper, the titular star of the TV showFlipper, was in reality a female dolphinnamedSuzy.


TOIL(TOYul) n hardwork;labor;drudgery;exhaustingeffort• Meeting themanufacturing deadline requiredweeks of unremitting toil from thedesigners,someofwhomworkedpastmidnightnearlyeverynight.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.Totoilistoengageinhardlabor.• “Am Igoing tohave to toil in the fields like thisallday?”askedCeliaplaintivelyafterbeingaskedbyhermothertopicksomechivesfromthegarden.

TORTUOUS(TORchoowus) adj winding;twisting;serpentine;fullofcurvesDon’t confuse this word with torturous (TOR chur us), which means torturing orexcruciating.Amoviewitha tortuousplot isone that ishard foraviewer to follow;amoviewithatorturousplotisonethatisagonizingforaviewertowatch.

• Onthetortuouspaththroughthewoodstothetent,oneortwooftheCubScoutsalwaysmanagedtogetlost.

• Sybilhadtousetortuousreasoningtopersuadeherselfthatitwasreallyallrightto shoplift, butafterabit ofmental gymnastics shewasable toaccomplish thetask.


TOXIC(TAHKsik) adj poisonous• After the storm, the beach was covered with spilled oil, spent nuclear fuel,contaminatedmedicalsupplies,andothertoxicwastes.

• Toxic residues from pesticides can remain on or in fruits and vegetables even

aftertheyhavebeenwashedwithsoap.• Itisnowclearthatcigarettesaretoxicnotonlytosmokersbutalsotononsmokerswhobreatheinexhaledsmoke.

Somethingtoxicisatoxin(TAHKsin).• Someshellfishcontainatoxinthatcanmakedinersviolentlyill.

TRANSFIX (tranzFIKS) v to cause to standmotionlesswith awe, amazement, orsomeotherstrongemotion;torivet

• ThechildrenstoodtransfixedattheastonishingsightofMaryPoppinsrisingintotheairwithherumbrella.

• Thehunteraimedhis flashlightat theeyesof thebullfrog,hoping to transfixhispreysothatitwouldbeeasiertocatch.

• Thestudentsweretransfixedwithdisgustatthesightoftheirgymteachersettingupsquaredanceequipment.

TRAUMA (TRAWmuh) n severe shock or distress; a violentwound; awrenchingexperience

• Ella needs some spoiling right now to help her recover from the trauma of herparents’divorce.

Inmedicalterms,atraumaisaseriouswoundorshocktothebody.• Thegunshot victimwashurried to thehospital’snew trauma center,whichwasstaffedbyphysiciansexperiencedintreatinglife-threateningwounds.

Anythingthatcausestraumaissaidtobetraumatic(truhMATik).• Havingtheircarpetscleanedisatraumaticexperienceforpeoplewhobelievethattheircarpetshavesufferedenough.

Toinducetraumaistotraumatize(TRAWmuhtyze).• Thefoxtraumatizedthehensbysneakingintothehenhouseandlickinghislips.


1. throttle a. severeshock2. thwart b. preventfrombeingaccomplished3. timorous c. choke4. titillate d. poisonous5. titular e. innameonly6. toil f. excite

7. tortuous g. fearful8. toxic h. winding9. transfix i. causetostandmotionless10. trauma j. hardwork

TRAVESTY (TRAV is tee) n a grotesque or shameful imitation; a mockery; aperversion

• The defense lawyer complained that the continual snickering of the judge hadturnedhisclient’strialintoatravesty,andhedemandedthatthecasebethrownout.

• Everyyearathomecoming,thecollegegleeclubputsonatravestyofapopularplayormovie,andtheirshowisalwayspopularwithalumni.

TRENCHANT(TRENchunt) adj concise;effective;caustic• Thereporter’s trenchantquestionsabout thenationaldeficitunhinged theWhiteHouse spokesman, and after stumbling through a halfhearted response, hedeclaredthepressconferenceover.

• Joellen’spresentationwastrenchantandwellresearched;thatwasnotsurprisingsinceshehadpaidherclevernewassistanttowriteit.

• As the landlord showed the couple around, Meave managed to sound mostappreciativeabout thenewapartment,buther trenchantasides toherhusbandmadeitclearthatshethoughttheplacewasadump.

TRIUMVIRATE (tryeUMvuh rit) n a rulingcoalitionof threeofficials;anygroupofthreeworkingjointly

• Thedyingemperorappointedatriumviratetosucceedhimbecausehewantedtomakesurethatnosinglepersoneveragainheldallthepowerintherealm.

• MotherGooseLandisruledbyatriumvirateconsistingofthebutcher,thebaker,andthecandlestickmaker.

• Thosethreegirlshavebeenatriumvirateofbestfriendseversincethefirstdayofnurseryschool,whenallthreeofthemhadpottyaccidentsatonce.

TRYST(trist) n asecretmeetingoflovers• JaneandGregwerealwaysarranging trysts thatdidn’tworkout;either it rainedwhentheyweregoingtomeetunderthestarsorGreg’sparentscamehomeearlywhentheyweregoingtomeetinhisbackyardswimmingpool.

• “I’mperfectlyhappyforalleycatstohavealittleromanceintheirlives,”groanedBarry,“butwhydotheirtrystsalwayshavetobeundermybedroomwindow?”

• Inromancenovels,thecharactersneverhavemeredates;theyhavetrysts.

TUMULT(TOOmult) n violent,noisycommotion;uproar;outbreak• Inthetumultoftherockconcert,Bernicewasunabletofindherdroppedcontactlens.

• Suchatumultbreaksoutwhentheend-of-schoolbellringsthattheteachershavelearnedtojumpontotheirdeskstoavoidbeingtrampled.

Tobeatumultorlikeatumultistobetumultuous(tuhMULchoowus).• The fans’ tumultuous celebrationat the endof the football game left the field amuddymess.


TURBID(TURbid) adj murky;opaque;unclear• Theboyswerereluctanttojumpintotheturbidwater;mudstirredupbythefloodhadturnedthewaterintheirswimmingholethecolorofchocolatemilk.

• Theairwas turbidwith an oily black smoke that coated everything in soot andmadenoonlooklikemidnight.

Turbidcanalsobeusedfigurativelytomeanconfusedormuddled.• Theprofessorwaseasilyabletorefutemyturbidargumentinfavorofnothavingafinalexam.

Thenounisturbidity(turBIDuhtee).

TURMOIL(TURmoyl) n stateofgreatconfusionorcommotion• Thepresident’ssuddendeaththrewhisadministrationintoturmoil,ashisformerdeputiesandassistantsviedwithoneanotherforpower.

• “Ever since the baby was born we’ve been in kind of a turmoil,” Donna saidcheerfully,kickingapairofdirtysocksunderthetableassheledhervisitoronatourofthehouse.


1. travesty a. secretmeetingoflovers2. trenchant b. rulingcoalitionofthree3. triumvirate c. murky4. tryst d. concise5. tumult e. violent,noisycommotion6. turbid f. grotesqueimitation

7. turmoil g. stateofgreatconfusion

UUNCANNY(unKANee) adj extraordinary;unimaginable;seeminglysupernatural

• Jessicahasanuncannyabilityforsniffingoutthemostexpensiveiteminastore.• People often say that the similarity between Ted’s and Fred’s mannerisms isuncanny, but since the twomen are identical twinswho have lived together alltheirlives,itactuallyisn’tallthatunusual.

Uncannyisnottheoppositeofcanny,whichmeansartful,wily,orshrewd(andwhich,bytheway,derivesfromthewordcan).

UNDERLYING (un dur LYE ing) adj basic; fundamental; only noticeable underscrutiny

• The underlying cause of the cult’s disintegration was not faithlessness buthomesicknessonthepartofitsmembers.

• Albert seems dopey at first, but there’s a keen intelligence underlying thosevacuousmannerismsofhis.

UNDERMINE (UN dur myne) v to impair; to subvert; to weaken by excavatingunderneath

• The children’s adamant refusal to learn French considerably undermines theirteacher’seffortstoteachittothem.

• Therushingwatersofthefloodhadunderminedthenorthendofthefoundation,andthehousewasnowleaninginthatdirection.

UNDERPINNING(UNdurpining) n asystemofsupportsbeneath;afoundationorbasis

• The underpinning of Shing and Dyan’s long-lasting marriage was a sharedenthusiasmforbowling.

• The underpinnings of our friendship extend back to childhood, when I helpedKristiesewapurseforhermother.

UNDERSCORE(undurSKAWR) v tounderline;toemphasize• Heidiwassonervousabouttheexamthatsheendedupunderscoringherentiretextbookinyellowmarker.

• “Ihateyou!”Ryanshouted.Tounderscorehispoint,headded,“Ithinkyoustink!”• Harold’sterriblehungerunderscorestheimportanceofrememberingtoeat.

UNDERWRITE(undurRYTE) v tosponsor;tosubsidize;toinsure• TherewouldbenosuchthingaspublictelevisioninthiscountryifrichAmerican

oilcompanieswerenotwillingtounderwritetherebroadcastofexpensiveBritishtelevisionshows.

• ThelocalbankagreedtounderwritethehighschoolproductionofSouthPacific,providingmoneyforprops,costumes,andtherentalofatheater.

Apersonorcompanythatunderwritessomethingiscalledanunderwriter.

UNILATERAL(yoonuhLATurul) adj involvingonesideonly;doneonbehalfofonesideonly;one-sided;notmutual

• Inmyfamily,therewasunilateralagreementonthesubjectofcurfews;myparentsagreedthatIshouldbehomebymidnight,andIdidnot.

• Unilateral disarmament is the decision by one side in a conflict to lay down itsarms.

In law,aunilateral contract is a contract inwhichonly oneof the signersbearsanyobligation.

Asmight beexpected,bilateral (bye LATur ul)means two-sided. In biology, a bodywhose leftand right sidesaremirror imagesofeachother is said to exhibitbilateralsymmetry.People’sbodiesarenotbilaterallysymmetrical—youhaveaspleenononlyonesideofyourgut,forexample—butworms’bodiesare.Goodforworms.

Asmightfurtherbeexpected,multilateral(multeeLATurul)meansmany-sided.Inamultilateral treaty, many nations participate. And lateral (LAT ur ul) means of orpertainingtoaside.Alateralmoveinacareerisoneinwhichyouswitchjobswithoutascendingordescendingthecorporatehierarchy.

USURY(YOOzhuree) n lendingmoneyatanextremelyhighrateofinterest• MysistersaidshewouldlendmetendollarsifIwouldcleanherroomforaweek,abargainthatIconsideredtobeusury.

Ausurer(YOOzhurur)issomeonewhopracticesusury.• Eight-year-oldChuckisquitealittleusurer;ifakidinhisclassborrowsadimeformilkmoney,Chuckmakeshimpaybackaquarterthenextday.

Theadjectiveisusurious(yooZHOOReeus).



Checkyouranswershere.1. uncanny a. systemofsupportsbeneath2. underlying b. involvingonesideonly3. undermine c. basic4. underpinning d. impair5. underscore e. sponsor6. underwrite f. extraordinary7. unilateral g. lendingmoneyatextremelyhighrates8. usury h. underline

VVACUOUS(VAKyoowus) adj emptyofcontent;lackinginideasorintelligence

• Idon’tthinkthatwomanunderstandsawordyou’resaying;herexpressionisasvacuousasarabbit’s.

• If Gail has to spend one more hour cooped up with Karen and her vacuousobservations,shecannotanswerfortheconsequences.

Vacuous and vacant (VAY kunt) both refer to emptiness, but not the same kind ofemptiness.Vacant is generally used to mean literally empty; an apartment with notenantisvacant,notvacuous.Similarly,adullperson’sthoughtscanbevacuous,eventhoughhis skull isnot literallyvacant.However, avacant expressionandavacuousexpressionarethesamething.

VAGARY(VAYguhree) n whim;unpredictableaction;wildnotion• “Thismealwasalittlevagaryofyourfather’s,”saidMrs.Swaingrimlyasshesatthechildrendowntoplatesofsteaktoppedwithwhippedcream.

• Thankstothevagariesoffashion,everyone iswearingtennisrackets insteadofshoesthissummer.

• ThevagariesofSean’sbossarealittleunsettling;onedayhe’lltellSeanthatheis in line tobecomepresidentof thecompany,and thenextdayhe’ll tellhim toscrubtheexecutivewashroom.

Thiswordoftenappearsintheplural:vagaries(VAYguhreez).


VANQUISH(VANGkwish) v toconquer;tooverpower• Nancyfinallyvanquishedhernail-bitinghabitbycoatinghernailswithadistastefulchemical.

• “Nyah, nyah, we vanquished you!” the unsportsmanlike soldiers sang as theirenemiesretreated.

VENEER(vuhNEER) n facade;coating;outwardappearance• Toawoodworker,aveneerisathinsheetorstripofwoodthathasbeenslicedorpeeled from a larger piece of wood; plywood, for example, is a sandwich ofveneers.

• Ingeneralusage,aveneerisanythinoutwardsurface.• Underherveneerofsophistication—acquired,atgreatexpensetoherparents,at

aSwissfinishingschool—Hollyisactuallyashy,nervoushick.

VERDANT(VURdunt) adj coveredwithgreenplants;leafy;inexperiencedVerdantisderivedfromtheFrenchwordforgreen.

• In springtime, the verdant hills seem to whisper, “Skip school and come for awalk!”

• When themoviecrew reached theirdestination, theyweredismayed to find thelandscapestillverdant;theyweresupposedtobemakingamovieaboutskiing.

VERGE(vurj) n border;brink;edge• Onthevergeofthepondisamushyspotwhereit’snotsafetoskate.• Eleanorhasbeenon thevergeof tearseversincehermother toldher thatshewouldnotbeallowedtoattendtheprom.

Thiswordcanalsobeaverb.• Nick’ssurlyanswervergedonrudeness,buthisfatherdecidednottopunishhim.

Toconverge(kunVURJ)istocometogetherormeet.• Thewaterischurningandfrothyatthespotwherethetworiversconverge.

Todiverge(diVURJ)istoseparate.• Aforkinaroadisaplacewheretworoadsdiverge.

VERITY(VERuhtee) n thequalityofbeingtrue;somethingtrue• Youcouldhardlydoubttheverityofherstory,especiallywhenshehaddocumentstoproveherpoint.

Many truth-related words derive from the Latin root “verus” which means true.Verisimilar(veriSIMuhlur)meanshavingtheappearanceoftruth,andverisimilitude(verisiMILuhtood)isthequalityofbeingverisimilar.

• The plastics company had found a way to make fake leather of shockingverisimilitude.

Veracious(vurAYshus)meanshabituallytruthful.• ItwouldbeeasiertotrustCharlotteifshehadareputationforbeingveracious—butshedoesn’t.Infact,she’sbeencalledaliarmanytimesbefore.

Toaver(uhVUR)istostatewithconfidence,asthoughyouknowittobethetruth.• “Yes,that’stheman,”Charlotteaverred.“Irecognizehimforsure.”

Toverify(VERifye)istoprovethatsomethingistrue,toconfirmit.• ThepolicewereabletoverifyOlin’sclaimthathehadbeenoutofthecountryatthetimeofthecrime,sotheylethimgo.

VIE(vye) v tocompete;tocontest;tostruggle

• Sherylviedwithherbestfriendforapromotion.• ThetwoadvertisingagenciesviedfiercelyfortheLax-Me-Upaccount,whichwasworth$100millionayearinbillings.

VIGILANT(VIJuhlunt) adj constantlyalert;watchful;wary• MissGrimbleisvigilantagainstgrammaticalerrors;whenshespotsamisplacedmodifier,shepounceslikeatiger.

• DadvigilantlyguardedthedoorofthelivingroomtokeepthechildrenfromseeingtheEasterbunnyatwork.

Tobevigilantistoexhibitvigilance(VIJuhluns).• Distractedby the loudnoise in thehallway, theguard lethisvigilanceslip foramoment,andtheprisonerquicklyescaped.

Vigilisarelatedwordthatmeansaperiodofstayingawakeorpeacefullyprotesting,asifvigilantlystandingwatch.

VIGNETTE(vinYET) n asmall,decorativedesignordrawing;ashortliterarysketch;abriefbutexpressivesceneinaplayormovie

• Laurendecoratedthetopofeachthank-younotewithatinyvignetteofadolphinleapinggracefullyoutofthewater.

• TheeditoratthepublishingcompanytoldMrs.Proutiethatthevignettesshehadwrittenabouthergardenwouldbeunlikelytosellmanymorecopiesifpublishedasabook.

• The boring movie was enlivened somewhat by half a dozen sexy vignettessprinkledthroughit.



1. vacuous a. whim2. vagary b. border3. vanquish c. conquer4. veneer d. compete5. verdant e. coveredwithgreenplants6. verge f. facade7. verity g. emptyofcontent8. vie h. qualityofbeingtrue

9. vigilant i. constantlyalert10. vignette j. shortliterarysketch

VISCOUS(VISkus) adj thick;gluey;sticky• I rapidly lost my thirst as I watched the water ooze from the tap in a viscous,brownishstream.

• Thatviscoussapdrippingfromthegashinthetrunkofthepinetreemayonedayhardenintoamber.

Tobeviscousistohaveviscosity(visKAHSuhtee).• Motoroilsareratedaccordingtotheirviscosity;lessviscousoilsareusuallyusedin thewinter because coldweather can causemoreviscous grades tobecomeexcessivelythick.

VIVACIOUS(viVAYshus) adj lively;animated;fullofpep• Theeighth-gradegirlsbecamebubblyandvivaciouswheneveracuteboywalkedby,butassoonashewasoutofsight theysettledback intotheirusualgrumpylethargy.

Tobevivaciousistohavevivacity(viVASitee).• Beatrice’svivacitydimmednoticeablywhenshe realized that thenewsshewaswaitingforwouldnotbegood.


VOGUE(vohg) n fashion;style• Neverthrowawayoldclothes;outdatedstylesinevitablycomebackinvogue.• Vogue is a famous magazine filled with fashion photographs, clothingadvertisements,andarticlesaboutwhateverisinvogueatthemoment.

• The goldfish were sorry to learn that the campus vogue for swallowing livegoldfishisback.

Tobeinvogue,orsusceptibletovogues,istobevoguish(VOHGish).

VOLUMINOUS(vuhLOOmuhnus) adj large;extensive;havinggreatvolume• Kate frantically searched through her voluminous lecture notes for the phonenumberoftheboysittingnexttoher.

• Hidden in thefoldsofhervoluminousskirtsareapottedplant,asmallchild,anelectricfan,threepairsofsnowshoes,andabagofbreathmints.

• AfterStacy’sdeath,Henryburnedtheirvoluminouscorrespondencebecausehe

didn’twantanyonetofindoutthatheandStacyhadbeenexchanginglettersforyears.

VOLUPTUOUS(vuhLUPchoowus) adj pleasanttothesenses;luxurious;pleasure-seeking;extrafullandshapely

• The restaurant’s most popular dessert is called Sinfully Voluptuous ChocolateTorte;eachservingcontainsapoundeachofchocolateandbutter.

• Doreen’sfigurehaspassedthepointofvoluptuousandreachedthepointoffat.Apersonaddictedtovoluptuousthingsisavoluptuary(vuhLUPchooaree).

VORACIOUS(vuhRAYshus) adj havingahugeappetite;ravenouslyhungry• Whenever he goes skiing, Reed comes home voracious; once he even ate anentireuncookedmeatloafthathismotherhadintendedtopreparefordinner.

• ThevoraciouslionscirclingoutsidehertentmadePattyhesitanttostepoutside.• Clayisavoraciousreader;healwayshashisnoseburiedinabook.


1. viscous a. havingahugeappetite2. vivacious b. pleasanttothesenses3. vogue c. large4. voluminous d. fashion5. voluptuous e. lively6. voracious f. thick

WWAFT(wahft) v tofloat;todrift;toblow

• First a gentle little breezewafted through thewindow; thena typhoonblew thehousedown.

• Rickclosed thekitchendoor tokeep thesmellofpopcorn fromwaftingupstairsbecausehedidn’twanthissistertoknowthathewasmakingasnack.

WAIVE(wayv) v torelinquish(aright);toforgo;toputasideforthetimebeing• The murder suspect waived his right to have a lawyer present during hisquestioning,sayingthathehadnothingtohide.

Anactorinstanceofwaivingisawaiver(WAYvur).

WAKE(wayk) n anall-nightvigilkeptoveradeadbodybeforeitisburied;thetrailaboatleavesbehinditinthewater;atrackorpathleftbehindsomething

• Ryan’soldfriendsturnedhiswake intoapartyontheassumptionthat ifhehadbeenpresenthewouldhavebeenthefirsttobreakoutthebeer.

• Jonathan loves to standat thebackof the ferry sohecanwatch thechurning,roilingwakebehindtheboat.

• What started out as an honest, pull-no-punches discussion left terribly hurtfeelings in itswake, and the participants didn’t speak to one another formanydaysafterward.

WANE (wayn) v to decrease in strength or intensity; to fade away; to decline inpower

• Congressman Boote’s political influence waned dramatically following hisannouncementthathehadbeenkidnappedbycreaturesinaflyingsaucer.

• AtriptoGreecedidlittletoreviveBarry’swaninginterestinGreekhistory;infact,itstrengthenedhisnewconvictionthatGreecewasboring.

Theoppositeofwaneiswax(waks).• Asthemoongrowsfull,itissaidtowax;asitturnsintoasliver,itissaidtowane.

WARRANT(WAWRunt) v tojustify;toprovidegroundsfor;toguarantee• Mac’swritingdoesn’twarrantasecondglance;it’sunreadablegarbage.• The employment agencywarrants that its temporary secretaries can type 100wordsperminuteandthattheydon’tmindmakingcoffee.

Whenwarrantisusedasanoun,itmeansanauthorizationorofficialpermit.• It is illegal for thepolice toentersomeone’shomeuninvitedunless theyhavea

searchwarrant.Awarranty(WAWRuntee)isawrittenguarantee.

• Did thestoreprovideanykindofwarrantywith thatvacuumcleaner? Ihopesobecauseit’salreadybroken.

WARY(WARee) adj cautious;watchful;careful• BillyGreeniswaryofnewbabysitters;hehidesbehindhisfather’slegsandcrieswhenit’stimeforhisparentstogo.

• Themousecastawaryeyeoutofitsholeand,seeingnocat,scamperedintothelivingroom.

• Ann is wary about picking up the telephone these days; she is afraid that acollectionagencymaybeontheotherend.

Tobewaryistobeware.Sobeware.

WIZENED(WIZund) adj shriveled;withered;shrunken• The prince was horrified when he lifted his new bride’s veil and found not theprincesshehadbeenexpectingbutawizenedoldcrone.

• Afewwizenedappleswereallwefoundonthetree;alltheniceoneshadalreadybeenpicked.

• Having seen wizards only in the movies, I expected Mervin to be bent andwizenedwithage,butactuallyhewasyoungandquiteattractive.


WOE(woh) n suffering;affliction;distress• IfItoldyouallthewoesthathavebefallenKarlthisyear,you’dthinkIwasmakingthemup;noonecouldhavethatmuchbadluck.

• Jamiegazedupathismotherwithalookofwoe,pointingtotheantfarmhehadjustdroppedonthecarpet.

• “Oh,woe is me,” moaned Libby. “I’m turning forty tomorrow, and no one hasplannedasurprisepartyforme!”

Theadjectiveiswoeful.

WRATH(rath) n deepanger;fury• Dawn’s wrath knew no bounds when she realized that Ron had started thedishwasherduringhershower.

• ThewrathfulvampirelurchedtowardMarleneandbaredhispointyfangs.• “Whyareyoutreatingmethisway?”Catherinedemandedwrathfully. “I’llbet I’mtheonlygirlinthewholesixthgradewhohastopayrenttoliveinherownhouse!”

ZZEITGEIST(ZYTEgyst) n themoodorspiritofthetimesZeitgeistisaGermanwordthatmeans,literally,timespirit.

• It’s interesting to see how Americans always assume the zeitgeist changesautomaticallywith the arrival of a new decade. The eightieswere allegedly thedecade of greed; then, on the first day of 1990, greed supposedly went out ofstyle,andold-fashionednicenessbecametheorderoftheday.Whatdidallthoseformerlygreedypeopledowiththeirstuff?


ZENITH(ZEEnith) n highestpoint;peak;pinnacle• ThezenithofmycareerasasingercamewhenIwasaskedtogivearecital inCarnegie Hall for the royal family, the president, Madonna, and a boy in highschoolwhomI’dalwayshadacrushon;sincethen,it’sallsortofbeendownhill.

Forsynonymsforzenith,seeourentriesforapexandapogeeatthebeginningofthischapter.


1. waft a. justify2. waive b. cautious3. wake c. deepanger4. wane d. float5. warrant e. suffering6. wary f. shriveled7. wizened g. spiritofthetimes8. woe h. highestpoint9. wrath i. all-nightvigil10. zeitgeist j. decreaseinstrength11. zenith k. relinquish

CHAPTER4

MoreSATKeyTerms(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

Here’swhatwesaidinWordSmartaboutvocabularyfortheSAT:

Despite all the talk about “scholastic aptitude” and “reasoning ability,” much of theCriticalReadingandWritingsectionsoftheSATisessentiallyavocabularytest.Ifyoudon’tknowthewordsonthetest,youwon’tearnagoodscore.It’sassimpleasthat.

Ifyoulearneverywordonthemainwordlistinthisbook,you’llhaveabigadvantageontheSAT.Thebiggeryourvocabulary,thebetteryou’lldo.ButnoteverywordonthemainlististhesortofwordthatistestedontheSAT.Ifyou’regettingreadytotaketheSATorasimilarstandardizedtest,youshouldfocusyourattentiononthewordsinthefollowinglist.

The Key Terms is a list of the words tested most frequently on the SAT. PrincetonReviewstudentsusetheKeyTermstogetthemaximumpossiblemileageoutoftheirvocabulariesand improve their verbalSATscores.NotallKeyTermsappearonourmainwordlist,butallofthemhaveappearedonSATs.

We’ve included short definitions tomake it easier for you to learn thewords. Thesedefinitionsaren’talwaysexactly like theonesyou’ll find in thedictionaryor themainwordlistofthisbook;they’rethedefinitionsofthewordsastheyaretestedontheSAT.

KeepinmindthatthesearenottheonlywordsyouneedtoknowfortheSAT.They’rejust thewords thathavebeen testedmost frequently in thepast—thewords that theEducational Testing Service’s question writers tend to come back to over and overagain.Alsokeepinmindthatthewordsnearthetopofthelistaremorelikelytoturnupthanthewordsnearthebottom.

SomeSATsareabsolutelyloadedwithKeyTerms;othersdon’tcontainasmany.OneofthemostimportantthingstheKeyTermswillteachyouisthelevelofthevocabularyonthetest.Onceyougetafeelforthislevel,you’llbeabletospototherpossibleSATwordsinyourreading.

ThelistofKeyTermsinthisbookisacontinuationofthelistinWordSmart(makesureyou’velearnedtheKeyTermsfromthatbook,too).Wehaveincludedpartsofspeechwhenclarificationisneeded.

Startatthebeginningandworkyourwaythroughthelist.Steady,consistentpracticeisbetter thantryingtomemorizeseveralhundredwordstheweekbeforethebigday. IftheSATiscomingupinthenextfewmonths,makesureyoulearnatleastfivetotenwordsperday.

Gettowork!

adapted:modified;altered;changed;revisedadmonition:caution;warning;reprimandadvocate(n.):supporter;backer;promoter;campaigneradvocate(v.):support;encourage;back;promoteaffluent:rich;wealthy;comfortable;well-offalludes:refers;mentions;indicates;suggestsambition(n.):drive;determination;motivation;desireambition(n.):goal;aim;objective;aspiration;desireantipathy:opposition;aversion;hostility;antagonism;hatred;dislikeapparition:ghost;spirit;specter;phantomarraying(v.):arranging;displaying;organizing;exhibitingarraying(v.):clothing;dressing;attiring;drapingascending(adj.):climbing;uphill;rising;mountingascending(v.):rising;climbing;soaring;arisingascending(v.):climbing;mounting;scaling;leadingasymmetric:unequal;uneven;irregular;disproportionateatop(prep.):on;over;above;uponattribution:ascription;credit;acknowledgement;provenanceautocratic:dictatorial;domineering;high-handed;overbearing;bossybesieged(adj.):overwhelmed;inundated;beleaguered;plaguedbesieged(v.):surrounded;sieged;encircled;blockadedbroached:proposed;presented;submitted;raised;introducedcalibrate:standardize;adjust;regulate;attune;bringintolinecandidacy:application;contention;entry;submission;candidaturecloisters:monasteries;abbeys;friaries;convents;walkways;doorways;archesclout(n.):thump;wallop;whack;smackclout(n.):influence;power;pull;authorityclout(v.):hit;strike;thump;bashcoercive(adj.):forced;forcible;intimidating;bullying

colloquial(adj.):informal;idiomatic;conversational;everydaycommodity:product;service;goodscomplementary:balancing;opposite;harmonizing;corresponding;matchingconcedes:allows;acknowledges;grants;admits;acceptsconducive:favorable;helpful;encouraging;advantageous;beneficialconsecrated(adj.):holy;sacred;sanctified;hallowed;blessedconsecrated(v.):dedicated;devoted;setapart;madeholyconstitutions:compositions;structures;make-ups;componentsconstrue:interpret;take;read;see;understandcontingent(adj.):depending;liable;reliant;conditionalcontingent(n.):commission;legation;committee;party;groupconvened:assembled;summoned;organized;arrangedconventional:conservative;conformist;straight;predictable;unadventurous;usualcorrectitude:correctbehavior;properness;proprietycowed(adj.):intimidated;browbeaten;scared;frightenedcowed(v.):bullied;scared;frightened;overawedcritical(adj.):dangerous;serious;grave;perilous;critical(adj.):analytical;judicious;diagnostic;detailedcritical(adj.):significant;decisive;vital;importantdenomination:value;quantity;money;coinagedismay(n.):disappointment;shock;consternation;apprehensiondismay(v.):disappoint;shock;sadden;depress;perturbdiverge:deviate;wander;depart;swerve;separatedread(n.):fear;terror;trepidation;anxietydread(v.):fear;beafraidof;notlookforwardtodreary:dull;boring;monotonous;tediousearnestness:sincerity;seriousness;solemnity;intensityegocentrism:self-absorbed;self-obsessedenacted:passed;ratified;endorsed;decreed;sanctionedendow:award;donate;bestow;give;bequeath

endured:tolerated;suffered;underwent;withstood;sustained;lastedengender:produce;cause;create;stimulate;provokeentrenched(adj.):rooted;engrained;fixed;imbedded;embeddedentrenched(v.):established;ensconced;cementedesthetic:artistic;visual;appealing;beautifulevinced:showed;demonstrated;displayed;revealed;exhibitedfaculties(n.):abilities;facilities;talents;aptitudes;knacksfeasibility(n.):viability;possibility;probability;likelihoodferocity(n.):fierceness;ferociousness;cruelty;wildness;viciousnessfiscal(adj.):economic;financial;monetaryforum:opportunity;medium;environment;setting;meeting;conferenceglistening:gleaming;shining;sparkly;glitteringgrave(adj.):serious;severe;weighty;crucial;criticalignominious:degrading;disgraceful;dishonorable;shamefulimmured:secluded;confined;imprisoned;incarceratedimprudent(adj.):foolish;impulsive;indiscreet;irresponsibleinability:incapability;incapacity;powerlessness;helplessnessinclined(adj.):motivated;persuaded;tending;disposedinconstancy(n.):infidelity;faithlessness;ficklenessincredulous:disbelieving;skeptical;unbelieving;doubtful;dubiousinexorable:unstoppable;inevitable;unavoidable;inescapableingenious:clever;resourceful;original;inventiveinsolent:impudent;impertinent;rude;disrespectfulintermittent:sporadic;recurrent;erratic;irregular;alternatingintuitive:instinctive;spontaneous;innate;naturalinversion:overturn;upturn;transposal;downturnirksome:annoying;irritating;exasperating;tiresomekeen:intense;strong;acute;deeplacquer:polish;gloss;varnishmagnitude:greatnessinscale;importance;size;significance

malignity:enmity;evil;hate;illwill;indignitymeekness:humbleness;quietness;docility;gentlenessmired:delayed;stalled;hindered;stuckmodest:shy;diffident;unsure;uncertain;ordinarymonotonous:dull;repetitious;uninteresting;boringnuisance:irritation;pain;annoyance;pestobstinacy:stubbornness;determination;wrongheadedness;inflexibilityomnipotence:authority;power;supremacy;influenceopine(v.):harangue;preach;orate;lectureoptimistic:hopeful;positive;bright;cheerfulornate:decorative;overelaborate;baroque;lavishperspective:viewpoint;standpoint;outlook;perceptionphenomenon:occurrence;observablefact;experience;happening;incidentplumes:trails;clouds;spirals;columnspoignant:moving;emotional;touching;distressingpostulate:assume;guess;hypothesize;suggestpractical:applied;real-world;everyday;real;sensiblepreposterous:outrageous;absurd;ridiculous;ludicrouspressed(v.):surged;crowded;swarmed;clusteredprobable:likely;credible;possible;feasibleprocession:march;parade;demonstration;sequence;successionproclaim:announce;declare;state;decreeproxy:substitute;alternative;stand-inpulpit:podium;dais;stand;platform;stagequeer:anomalous;atypical;questionable;remarkableramified:branched;forked;divided;splitrashly:hastily;impulsively;recklessly;impetuouslyreceptive:open;amenable;accessible;interestedrelish(v.):enjoy;savor;like;appreciatereluctant:unwilling;unenthusiastic;disinclined;hesitant

reminisce:recall;evoke;recollect;ponderreverberate:echo;resound;vibrate;resonatereverence:respect;admiration;worship;awerigid:unbending;inflexible;severe;strictscope:possibility;choice;room;opportunityscuttling:scurrying;scampering;darting;dashingsheer:pure;utter;absolute;totalshuttered:closed;secured;boardedup;coveredupsparingly:frugally;carefully;cautiously;scarcelystatic:still;stationary;motionless;inertsubjugate:conquer;vanquish;subdue;defeatsubordinate:secondary;lesser;minor;subsidiarysubversion:rebellion;sedition;treason;mutinysurvey(v.):plot;chart;measure;gaugesymbolic:representative;figurative;emblematic;representationalsympathetic:agreeable;congenial;likeable;affabletactful:diplomatic;discreet;sensitive;delicatetemperament:nature;character;personality;dispositiontheoretical:hypothetical;notional;conjectural;abstract;imaginarytrifling:trivial;petty;insignificant;smallunadorned:plain;bare;austere;simpleundulating(adj.):rolling;swelling;surging;ripplingunfounded:groundless;unsupported;baseless;unsubstantiatedutilitarian:useful;practical;serviceablevalidated:authenticated;legalized;authorized;confirmedvenerable:respected;august;esteemed;reveredversatility:adaptability;flexibility;resourcefulness

CHAPTER5

MoreGREKeyTerms(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

VocabularyontheGREisjustasimportantasitisontheSAT.ThefollowinglististhesecondbatchofwordsthatappearoftenontheGRE.ThislistisasupplementtothelistthatappearedinWordSmart.IfyouwanttodowellontheGRE,youshouldknowallthewordsontheGREandSATKeyTermslists,startingwiththoseinWordSmart.Take ten words a day and commit them to memory. In a few weeks you’ll havemasteredthislist.

AswiththeSATKeyTerms,youwill findthatmanyoftheGREKeyTermsappear inourmainlisting.

abjure:avoid;shun;reject;abnegateacumen:shrewdness;insight;judgment;intelligencealacrity:eagerness;enthusiasm;readiness;quicknessaltruistic:unselfish;humane;selfless;philanthropicamenable:agreeable;open;acquiescent;willing;pliableapprobation:approval;consent;praise;admirationappropriation:misuse;fraud;stealing;cheatingarchetype:model;epitome;prototype;standardarduous:difficult;hard;laborious;gruelingasinine:silly;stupid;foolish;unintelligentaudacity:boldness;daring;courage;braveryaver:avow;state;claim;declarebeguile:entice;lure;woo;charm;captivatebeneficent:charitable;altruistic;generous;benevolentbenevolent:kind;caring;compassionate;generous;beneficentbent:determined;set;fixed;resolved;decidedbolster:boost;strengthen;reinforce;encouragebombast:pomposity;pretentiousness;verboseness;grandiloquencebouquet:aroma;nose;scent;fragrancebuttress(n.):support;prop;reinforcement;structurebuttress(v.):bolster;strengthen;propup;reinforce

cacophony:disharmony;harshness;discord;noise;loudnesscajole:coax;persuade;wheedle;enticecastigation:criticism;rebuke;reprimand;scoldingcatalyst:promoter;facilitator;goad;stimuluscaustic:scathing;cutting;sarcastic;unkindcircumspect:careful;cautious;prudent;warycomplaisant:willing;acquiescent;agreeable;amenableconvoluted:intricate;complex;complicated;longwindedcraven:cowardly;gutless;spineless;weakdaft:silly;stupid;foolish;nuttydenigrate:disparage;vilify;degrade;belittlederision:scorn;mockery;disdain;ridiculediatribe:attack;tirade;denunciation;haranguediscomfit:embarrass;unsettle;distress;rattle;flusterdiffidence:reserve;shyness;hesitancy;timiditydisingenuous:dishonest;insincere;untruthful;deceitfuldoughty:tough;spirited;feisty;indomitableeffrontery:impudence;nerve;cheekiness;boldnessemollient:soothing;calming;palliative;placativeengender:cause;provoke;stimulate;bringaboutenterprise:initiative;innovativeness;creativity;inventivenesseradicate:eliminate;destroy;exterminate;removeesoteric:obscure;mysterious;abstruse;arcaneexemplar:paradigm;example;standard;archetype;idealextirpate:wipeout;destroy;eradicate;eliminateextol:praise;exalt;commend;eulogizefatuous:unintelligent;silly;complacent;unawarefawn(v.):crawl;flatter;grovel;butterupfidelity:loyalty;faithfulness;reliability;trustworthinessflair:talent;skill;aptitude;ability;knack;gift

flip(v.):explode;loseyourtemper;goberserk;loseitflorid:ostentatious;showy;extravagant;flowerygainsay:oppose;contradict;argue;refuteglut:excess;surplus;superfluity;overabundancehackneyed:everyday;commonplace;worn-out;unimaginativeimpertinence:insolence;impudence;disrespect;lipimprovident:careless;reckless;imprudent;negligentimpudence:carelessness;recklessness;incaution;indiscretioninane:silly;unintelligent;absurd;ridiculousingenuity:inventiveness;cleverness;resourcefulness;imaginationintrepid:fearless;bold;courageous;valiantintemperate:self-indulgent;uncontrolled;unrestrained,extravagantlabyrinthine:complex;convoluted;intricate;complicatedlavish:extravagant;profligate;wasteful;excessiveliberal:generous;copious;abundant;substantialmalleable:soft;flexible;pliable;plastic;impressionablemerit:warrant;earn;beworthyof;deserveminatory:expressingorconveyingathreatnoisome:foul;offensive;disgusting;repulsiveobdurate:stubborn;inflexible;obstinate;adamantobviate:remove;avoid;preclude;forestalloccluded:blocked;sealed;obstructed;stoppedopprobrium:scorn;contempt;condemnation;censureparagon:model;epitome;archetype;paradigmperfidy:treachery;disloyalty;deceit;duplicityperjury:lying;untruthfulness;prevarication;mendacitypersonification:epitome;embodiment;representation;exemplificationphilanthropic:charitable;benevolent;humanitarian;generouspiquancy:tastiness;spiciness;sharpness;tangplacate:pacify;conciliate;soothe;calm;mollify

plasticity:malleability;softness;pliability;elasticityplethora:overabundance;excess;surfeit;glutplucky:brave;courageous;gutsy;fearlessposture(v.):pose;strikeanattitude;strutprobity:correctness;integrity;rectitude;honorproclivity:tendency;penchant;inclination;likingprodigal:wasteful;reckless;dissolute;profligateprodigious:extraordinary;phenomenal;unusual;exceptionalprofligate:wasteful;reckless;spendthrift;extravagantprofusion:abundance;excess;plethora;surpluspropagate:spread;broadcast;proliferate;disseminatepropensity:tendency;inclination;partiality;bentquiescence:dormancy;latency;rest;inertnessrenege:default;breakyourword;gobackon;breakapromiserescind:withdraw;cancel;annul;repealsagacious:wise;sage;perceptive;eruditesanction:authorization;permission;approval;agreementsardonic:mocking;scornful;ironic;sarcasticsedulous:determined;hardworking;assiduous;zealousspecious:false;hollow;erroneous;baselesssoporific:sleep-inducing;hypnotic;tranquilizing;tedious;boringstalwart:resolute;determined;committed;unfalteringsuperfluous:extra;surplus;redundant;unnecessarytang:trace;hint;aftertaste;flavor;smacktortuous:twisting;convoluted;indirect;meandering;roundabouttractable:docile;controllable;manageable;obedientunstinting:generous;openhanded;liberal;givingvacuous:empty;blank;vacant;voidveneration:worship;adoration;reverence;honorverbiage:excessiveverbalnonsense;verbosity;waffle;redundancy

warrant(v.):merit;deserve;necessitate;justifyzest:taste;tang;piquancy;bite

CHAPTER6

WordRootsYouShouldKnow

Hereisalistofthemosthelpfulrootstoknow.ItisthesamelistthatappearsinWordSmart.Aswesaidthere,learningrootshelpsyoumemorizewords.Whenyoulookupthedefinitionofawordonthislist,trytorelatethatdefinitiontothemeaningoftheroot.Youshould recognize these roots innewwords,butdon’tstruggle tomemorize theirdefinitions.Theserootsareinthousandsofwordsyoualreadyknow.Yousimplyhavetobecomeawareofthem.

Somestudents go through these lists one root at a time; they lookupall thewordsunderonerootandlearnthedefinitionstogether.Thatwaytheycanlinkthemeaningsofdifferentbutrelatedwords.Linkingwordstogetherimprovesyourunderstandingandhelpsyourememberbetter.

Note: Some roots words have more than one spelling. We have listed the mostcommonformsofeach.

a(without)amoralatheistatypicalanonymousapathyamorphousatrophyapartheidanomalyagnostic

ab/abs(off,awayfrom,apart,down)abductabhorabolishabstractabnormalabdicateabstinentabsolution

abstruseabrogateabscondabjureabstemiousablutionabominateaberrant

ac/acr(sharp,bitter)acidacuteacerbicexacerbateacridacrimoniousacumen

act/ag(todo,todrive,toforce,tolead)actagentagileagitateexactinglitigateprodigalprodigiouspedagoguedemagoguesynagogue

ad/al(to,toward,near)adaptadjacentaddictadmireaddressadhere

administeradoreadviceadjoinadulteryadvocateallurealloy

al/ali/alter(other,another)alternativealiasalibialienalteregoalienationaltruistaltercationallegory

am(love)amateuramatoryamorousenamoredamityparamourinamorataamiableamicable

amb(togo,towalk)ambitiousamblepreambleambulanceambulatory

perambulatorcircumambulate

amb/amph(around)amphitheaterambitambienceambient

amb/amph(both,morethanone)ambiguousamphibianambivalentambidextrous

anim(life,mind,soul,spirit)unanimousanimosityequanimitymagnanimouspusillanimous

annu/enni(year)annualanniversarybiannualbiennialcentennialannuityperennialannalsmillennium

ante(before)anteanteriorantecedentantedate

antebellumantediluvian

anthro/andr(man,human)anthropologyandroidmisanthropephilanthropyanthropomorphicphilanderandrogynousanthropocentric

anti(against)antidoteantisepticantipathyantipodal

apo(away)apologyapostleapocalypseapogeeapocryphalapotheosisapostasyapoplexy

apt/ept(skill,fitness,ability)adaptaptitudeaptineptadept

arch/archi(chief,principal)architect

archenemyarchetypearchipelago

archy(ruler)monarchymatriarchypatriarchyanarchyhierarchyoligarchy

art(skill,craft)artartificialartificeartisanartifactartfulartless

auc/aug/aux(toincrease)auctionauxiliaryaugmentaugust

auto(self)automaticautopsyautocratautonomy

be(tobe,tohaveacertainquality)belittlebelatedbemoanbefriend

bewilderbegrudgebequeathbespeakbeliebeguilebesetbemusebereft

bel/bell(war)rebelbelligerentbellicoseantebellum

ben/bon(good)benefitbeneficiarybeneficentbenefactorbenignbenevolentbenedictionbonusbonvivantbonafide

bi(twice,doubly)binocularsbiannualbiennialbigamybilateralbilingualbipartisan

bri/brev(brief,short)

briefabbreviateabridgebrevity

cad/cid(tofall,tohappenbychance)accidentcoincidencedecadentcascaderecidivismcadence

cand(toburn)candleincandescentcandor

cant/cent/chant(tosing)chantenchantaccentrecantincantationincentive

cap/cip/capit/cipit(head,headlong)capitalcapecaptaindiscipleprincipleprincipalprecipiceprecipitateprecipitouscapitulatecapitalism

precipitationcaptionrecapitulate

cap/cip/cept(totake,toget)captureanticipateinterceptsusceptibleemancipaterecipientincipientpercipientprecept

card/cord/cour(heart)cardiaccourageencourageconcorddiscordaccordconcordancecordial

carn(flesh)carnivorouscarnivalcarnalcarnagereincarnationincarnation

cast/chast(cut)castecastigatechastisechaste

caust(toburn)causticholocaust

ced/ceed/cess(togo,toyield,tostop)exceedprecederecessconcedecedeaccesspredecessorprecedentantecedentrecedeabscesscessationincessant

centr(center)centralconcentrateeccentricconcentriccentrifugeegocentric

cern/cert/cret/crim/crit(toseparate,tojudge,todistinguish,todecide)concerncriticsecretcrimediscreteascertaincertitudehypocritediscriminatecriterion

discernrecrimination

chron(time)synchronizechroniclechronologychronicchronologicalanachronismchronometer

circu(around,onallsides)circumferencecircumstancescircuitcircumspectcircumventcircumnavigatecircumambulatecircumlocutioncircumscribecircuitous

cis(tocut)scissorspreciseexorciseexciseincisionincisiveconcise

cit(tosetinmotion)exciteincitesolicitsolicitous

cla/clo/clu(shut,close)closetencloseconcludeclaustrophobiadiscloseexclusiverecluseprecludesecludecloisterforecloseclosure

claim/clam(toshout,tocryout)exclaimproclaimacclaimclamordisclaimreclaimdeclaim

cli(toleantoward)declinereclineclimaxproclivitydisinclination

co/col/com/con(with,together)connectconfideconcedecoercecohesivecohortconfederate

collaboratecompatiblecoherentcomplyconjugalconnubialcongenialconvivialcoalescecoalitioncontriteconciliateconclavecommensurate

crat/cracy(togovern)bureaucracydemocracyaristocracytheocracyplutocracyautocracy

cre/cresc/cret(togrow)creationincreasecrescendoincrementaccretionaccrue

cred(tobelieve,totrust)incrediblecredibilitycredentialscreditcreed

credocredencecredulityincredulous

cryp(hidden)cryptcrypticapocryphalcryptography

cub/cumb(toliedown)cubiclesuccumbincubateincumbentrecumbent

culp(blame)culpritculpableexculpateinculpatemeaculpa

cur/cour(running,acourse)occurrecurcurrentcurriculumcouriercursiveexcursionconcurconcurrentincurincursiondiscourse

discursiveprecursorrecoursecursory

de(away,off,down,completely,reversal)descenddetractdecipherdefacedefiledefrauddepletedenouncedecrydeferdefamedelineatedeferential

dem(people)democracyepidemicendemicdemagoguedemographicspandemic

di/dia(apart,through)dialoguediagnosediameterdilatedigressdilatorydiaphanousdichotomydialectic

dic/dict/dit(tosay,totell,tousewords)dictionarydictatepredictcontradictverdictabdicateedictdictummaledictionbenedictionindictinditedictioninterdictobiterdictum

dign(worth)dignitydignitarydignifydeignindignantcondigndisdaininfradig

dis/dif(awayfrom,apart,reversal,not)dispersedisseminatedissipatedissuadediffuse

doc/dac(toteach)doctordoctrine

indoctrinatedoctrinairedociledidactic

dog/dox(opinion)orthodoxparadoxdogmadogmatic

dol(suffer,pain)condolenceindolencedolefuldolorous

don/dot/dow(togive)donatedonorpardoncondoneantidoteanecdoteendowdowry

dub(doubt)dubiousdubietyindubitable

duc/duct(tolead)conductabductconduciveseduceinduct

induceductile

dur(hard)enduredurableduressdourobdurate

dys(faulty)dysfunctiondystopiadyspepsiadyslexia

epi(upon)epidemicepilogueepidermisepistleepitomeepigramepithetepitaph

equ(equal,even)equationadequateequivalentequilibriumequableequidistantequityiniquityequanimityequivocateequivocal

err(towander)errerrorerraticerroneouserrantaberrant

esce(becoming)adolescentobsolescentiridescentluminescentcoalescequiescentacquiescenteffervescentincandescentevanescentconvalescentreminiscent

eu(good,well)euphoriaeuphemismeulogyeugenicseuthanasiaeuphony

e/ef/ex(out,outof,from,former,completely)evadeexcludeextricateexonerateextortexhortexpire

exaltexulteffervesceextenuateeffaceeffusionegregious

extra(outsideof,beyond)extraordinaryextrasensoryextraneousextrapolate

fab/fam(speak)fablefabulousaffableineffablefamefamousdefameinfamous

fac/fic/fig/fait/feit/fy(todo,tomake)factoryfacsimilebenefactorfacilefactionfictionfactitiousefficientdeficientproficientmunificentprolific

soporificfigurefigmentconfigurationeffigymagnifyrarefyratifyramificationcounterfeitfeignfaitaccompliexpostfacto

fer(tobring,tocarry,tobear)offertransferconferreferenduminferfertileprofferdeferproliferatevociferous

ferv(toboil,tobubble,toburn)fervorfervideffervescent

fid(faith,trust)confideconfidentconfidantaffidavitdiffidentfidelity

infidelityperfidyfiduciaryinfidelsemperfidelisbonafide

fin(end)finalfinaleconfinedefinedefinitiveinfiniteaffinityinfinitesimal

flag/flam(toburn)flameflamboyantflammableinflammatoryflagrantconflagrationinflagrantedelicto

flect/flex(tobend)deflectflexibleinflectreflectgenuflect

flict(tostrike)afflictinflictconflictprofligate

flu,flux(toflow)fluidinfluencefluentaffluentfluctuationinfluxeffluenceconfluencesuperfluousmellifluous

fore(before)foresightforeshadowforestallforgoforbear

fort(chance)fortunefortunatefortuitous

fra/frac/frag/fring(tobreak)fracturefractionfragmentfragilerefractionfractiousinfractionrefractoryinfringe

fruit/frug(fruit,produce)fruitfulfruition

frugal

fund/found(bottom)foundationfundamentalfounderprofound

fus(topour)confusetransfusionprofuseeffusivediffusesuffuseinfusion

gen(birth,creation,race,kind)generousgenerategeneticsphotogenicdegeneratehomogeneousgenealogygendergenregenesiscarcinogenicgenialcongenialingenuousingenueindigenouscongenitalprogenyengendermiscegenation

suigeneris

gn/gno(know)ignoreignoramusrecognizeincognitodiagnoseprognosisagnosticcognitivecognoscentecognizant

grand(big)grandgrandeurgrandioseaggrandizegrandiloquent

grat(pleasing)gratefulingrateingratiategratuitygratuitous

grav/griev(heavy,serious)gravegriefaggrievegravitygrievous

greg(herd)congregationsegregation

aggregationgregariousegregious

gress/grad(tostep)progressgraduategradualaggressiveregressdegraderetrogradetransgressdigressegress

her/hes(tostick)coherentcohesiveadhesiveadherentinherent

(h)etero(different)heterosexualheterogeneousheterodox

(h)om(same)homogeneoushomonymhomosexualanomalyhomeostasis

hyper(over,excessive)hyperactivehyperbole

hypo(under,beneath,lessthan)hypodermichypochondriachypothesishypocritical

id(one’sown)idiotidiomidiosyncrasy

im/in(not,without)inactiveindifferentinnocuousinsipidindolenceimpartialineptindigent

im/in/em/en(in,into)inembraceencloseingratiateintrinsicinfluxincarnateimplicitindigenous

infra(beneath)infrastructureinfraredinfrasonic

inter(between,among)

interstateinteriminterloperinterludeintermittentinterplayintersperseintervene

intra(within)intramuralintrastateintravenous

ject(tothrow,tothrowdown)injectejectprojecttrajectoryconjecturedejectedabject

join/junct(tomeet,tojoin)junctionjointadjoinsubjugatejuxtaposeinjunctionrejoinderconjugaljunta

jur(toswear)juryperjuryabjure

adjure

lect/leg(toselect,tochoose)collectelectselectelectoratepredilectioneclecticelegant

lev(lift,light,rise)elevatorrelieveleveralleviatelevitaterelevantleveelevity

loc/log/loqu(word,speech)dialogueeloquentelocutionlocutioninterlocutorprologueepiloguesoliloquyeulogycolloquialgrandiloquentphilologyneologismtautologyloquacious

luc/lum/lus(light)illustrateilluminateluminousluminescentillustriouslacklustertranslucentlucidelucidate

lud/lus(toplay)illusionludicrousdeludeeludeelusivealludecollusionpreludeinterlude

lut/lug/luv(towash)lavatorydilutepollutedelugeantediluvian

mag/maj/max(big)magnifymagnitudemajormaximummajesticmagnanimousmagnatemaxim

magniloquent

mal/male(bad,ill,evil,wrong)malfunctionmalodorousmaliciousmalcontentmalignmalignantmalaisedismalmalapropismmaladroitmalevolentmalingermalfeasancemalefactormalediction

man(hand)manualmanufactureemancipatemanifestmandatemandatory

mater/matr(woman,mother)matrimonymaternalmaternitymatriculatematriarch

min(small)minuteminutiaediminution

miniaturediminish

min(toproject,tohangover)eminentimminentprominentpreeminent

mis/mit(tosend)transmitmanumitemissarymissiveintermittentremitremissiondemise

misc(mixed)miscellaneousmiscegenationpromiscuous

mon/monit(towarn)monumentmonitorsummonsadmonishremonstrate

morph(shape)amorphousmetamorphosispolymorphousanthropomorphic

mort(death)immortal

morguemorbidmoribundmortify

mut(change)commutemutationmutantimmutabletransmutationpermutation

nam/nom/noun/nown/nym(rule,order)astronomyeconomyautonomyantimonygastronomytaxonomy

nat/nas/nai(tobeborn)naturalnativenaivecognatenascentinnaterenaissance

nec/nic/noc/nox(harm,death)innocentnoxiousobnoxiousperniciousinternecineinnocuousnecromancy

nom/nym/noun/nown(name)synonymanonymousnominatepseudonymmisnomernomenclatureacronymhomonymnominalignominydenominationnounrenownnomdeplumenomdeguerre

nov/neo/nou(new)novicenovelnoveltyrenovateinnovateneologismneophytenouvellecuisinenouveauriche

nounc/nunc(toannounce)announcepronouncedenouncerenounce

ob/oc/of/op(toward,to,against,completely,over)obeseobjectobstruct

obstinateobscureobtrudeobliqueobliviousobnoxiousobstreperousobtuseopprobriumobsequiousobfuscate

omni(all)omnipresentomniscientomnipotent

pac/peac(peace)peaceappeasepacifypacifistpacifierpact

pan(all,everywhere)panoramapanaceapanegyricpantheonpanoplypandemic

par(equal)parparityapartheiddisparity

disparatedisparage

para(nextto,beside)parallelparaphraseparasiteparadoxparodyparagonparableparadigmparamilitaryparanoidparanormalparapsychologyparalegal

pas/pat/path(feeling,suffering,disease)apathysympathyempathyantipathypassionatecompassioncompatibledispassionateimpassivepathospathologysociopathpsychopath

pater/patr(father,support)patronpatronizepaternalpaternalism

expatriatepatrimonypatriarchpatrician

pau/po/pov/pu(few,little,poor)poorpovertypaucitypauperimpoverishpuerilepusillanimous

ped(child,education)pedagoguepediatricianencyclopedia

ped/pod(foot)pedalpedestalpedestrianpodiatristexpediteexpedientimpedeimpedimentpodiumantipodes

pen/pun(topay,tocompensate)penalpenaltypunitiverepentpenancepenitent

penitentiaryrepineimpunity

pend/pens(tohang,toweigh,topay)dependdispenseexpendstipendspendexpendituresuspensecompensatepropensitypensiveindispensableimpendingpendulumappendixappendappendageponderouspendant

per(completely,wrong)persistentperforateperplexperspireperusepervadeperjuryperturbperfunctoryperspicaciouspermeatepernicious

perennialperemptorypertinacious

peri(around)perimeterperiscopeperipheralperipatetic

pet/pit(togo,toseek,tostrive)appetitecompetepetitionperpetualimpetuouspetulantpropitious

phil(love)philosophyphilanthropyphilatelistphilologybibliophile

phone(sound)telephonesymphonymegaphoneeuphonycacophony

plac(toplease)placidplaceboplacateimplacable

complacentcomplaisant

ple(tofill)completedepletecomplementsupplementimplementplethorareplete

plex/plic/ply(tofold,totwist,totangle,tobend)complexcomplexioncomplicateduplexreplicaplycomplyimplicitimplicateexplicitduplicitycomplicitysupplicateaccompliceexplicate

pon/pos/pound(toput,toplace)componentcompounddepositdisposeexposeexpositionexpoundjuxtapose

deposeproponentrepositorytransposesuperimpose

port(tocarry)importportableporterportfoliodeportdeportmentexportportmanteauportlypurportdisportimportune

post(after)posthumousposteriorposterityexpostfacto

pre(before)precariousprecociouspreludepremeditatepremonitionpresagepresentimentpresumepresupposeprecedent

preceptprecipitousprecludepredilectionpreeminentpreemptprepossessprerequisiteprerogative

prehend/prise(totake,toget,toseize)surprisecomprehendenterpriseimpregnablereprehensibleapprehensioncompriseappriseapprehendcomprehensivereprisal

pro(much,for,alot)prolificprofusepropitiousprodigiousprofligateprodigalprotractedproclivityproliferatepropensityprodigyproselytizepropound

providentprolix

prob(toprove,totest)probeprobationapprobationprobityopprobriumreprobate

pug(tofight)pugilismpugpugnaciousimpugnrepugnant

punc/pung/poign/point(topoint,toprick)pointpuncturepunctualpunctuatepungentpoignantcompunctionexpungepunctilious

que/quis(toseek)acquireacquisitionexquisiteacquisitiverequestconquestinquireinquisitive

inquestqueryquerulousperquisitequi(quiet)quietdisquiettranquilacquiescequiescent

rid/ris(tolaugh)ridiculederisionrisible

rog(toask)interrogatearrogantprerogativeabrogatesurrogatederogatoryarrogate

sal/sil/sault/sult(toleap,tojump)insultassaultsomersaultsalientresilientinsolentdesultoryexult

sanct/sacr/secr(sacred)sacredsacrifice

sanctuarysanctifysanctionexecrablesacramentsacrilege

sci(toknow)scienceconsciousconscienceunconscionableomniscientprescientconscientiousnescient

scribe/scrip(towrite)scribbledescribescriptpostscriptprescribeproscribeascribeinscribeconscriptionscripturetranscriptcircumscribemanuscriptscribe

se(apart)selectseparateseduceseclude

segregatesecedesequestersedition

sec/sequ(tofollow)secondprosecutesequelsequenceconsequenceinconsequentialobsequiousnonsequitur

sed/sess/sid(tosit,tobestill,toplan,toplot)presideresidentsedimentsessiondissidentobsessionresidualsedatesubsidesubsidysubsidiarysedentarydissidentinsidiousassiduoussedulous

sens/sent(tofeel,tobeaware)sensesensualsensory

sentimentresentconsentdissentassentconsensussentinelinsensatesentientpresentiment

sol(toloosen,tofree)dissolvesolublesolveresolveresolutionirresolutesolventdissolutiondissoluteabsolution

spec/spic/spit(tolook,tosee)perspectiveaspectspectatorspecterspectaclesspeculationsuspiciousauspiciousspectrumspecimenintrospectionretrospectiveperspective

perspicaciouscircumspectconspicuousrespitespecious

sta/sti(tostand,tobeinaplace)staticstationarydestituteobstinateobstaclestalwartstagnantsteadfastconstituteconstantstasisstatusstatusquohomeostasisapostasy

sua(smooth)suaveassuagepersuadedissuade

sub/sup(below)submissivesubsidiarysubjugatesubliminalsubduesublimesubtlesubversive

subterfugesubordinatesuppresssupposition

super/sur(above)surpasssupercilioussuperstitionsuperfluoussuperlativesupersedesuperficialsurmountsurveillancesurvey

tac/tic(tobesilent)reticenttacittaciturn

tain/ten/tent/tin(tohold)containdetainpertainpertinacioustenaciousabstentionsustaintenurepertinenttenanttenabletenetsustenance

tend/tens/tent/tenu(tostretch,tothin)

tensionextendtendencytendontenttentativecontendcontentioustendentiouscontentioncontendertenuousdistendattenuateextenuating

theo(god)atheistapotheosistheocracytheology

tom(tocut)tomemicrotomeepitomedichotomy

tort(totwist)tortextorttorturetortuous

tract(todrag,topull,todraw)tractorattractcontract

detracttracttractableintractableprotractabstract

trans(across)transfertransactiontransparenttransporttransitiontransitorytransienttransgresstranscendentintransigenttraducetranslucent

us/ut(touse)abuseusageutensilusurputilityutilitarian

ven/vent(tocome,tomovetoward)adventureconveneconvenienteventventuresomeavenueinterveneadvent

contravenecircumvent

ver(truth)verdictverifyveraciousverisimilitudeaververity

vers/vert(toturn)controversyrevertsubvertinvertdivertdiverseaversionextrovertintrovertinadvertentversatiletraversecovertovertavertadvert

vi(life)vividvicariousconvivialviablevivacityjoiedevivrebonvivant

vid/vis(tosee)evidenttelevisionvideovisionprovisionadviserprovidentsurveyvistavisionaryvisage

voc/vok(tocall)vocabularyvocalprovocativeadvocateequivocateequivocalvocationavocationconvokevociferousirrevocableevocativerevokeconvokeinvoke

vol(towish)voluntaryvolunteervolitionmalevolentbenevolent

CHAPTER7

ClassicLiterature

If you find it difficult to read Dickens, you’re not alone; in fact, many people havemistakenly concluded that the word dickens comes from his novels being—well, adickens to read. (That term, meaning “devil,” has actually been used sinceShakespeare’stime.)However,readingDickensandotherpre-20th-centurynovelistsisa lot easier if you know the vocabulary used. This word list will familiarize youwithsomeof themore difficult or unfamiliarwords used in classicEnglish andAmericanliterature,particularlythosethatarestillinusetoday,butwithdifferentdefinitions!

ANSWER(ANsur) v tosatisfyaneedThisisanexampleofawordthatistypicallyusedabitdifferentlyinclassicliterature.While today’susage impliesa response toaquestion, it haspreviouslymeantmorealong the lines of fulfilling a need, such as in the sentence “Nothing short of agentlemanwouldanswer.”

BARRISTER(BARistur) n anattorneywhotriescasesThis definition may seem a bit redundant to Americans, but in England’s two-tiersystem,solicitorsperformalllegalfunctionsexcepttryingcases,andbarristersalsotrycases.

COMELY(KUMlee) adj attractiveThis word is generally used for women, and is shortened from the Middle Englishbecomely.Themodern-dayversionisbecoming.

CONDESCENSION (kahn di SEN shun) n to lower oneself to speak or deal withsomeoneofalowerpositionThough condescension is universally considered a bad thing today, characters inliteraturewhowereoflowerclassesmayhaveconsideredthemselvescomplimentedtohavebeencondescendedtobyamemberofthearistocracy.

CONFIDENCE(KAHNfidens) n tellingofprivatemattersinsecretConfidence issynonymouswith trustorassurance today,but inclassic literature it ismorerelatedtoconfidinginsomeone.

COQUETTISH(kohKETish) adj flirtatiousA coquette is a flirtatious woman, and—in more modest times—this was not aparticularly complementary description. Theword also refers to a species of brightlyplumedbirds,andinfactsharesarootwiththewordcock,orrooster.

DISCOMFIT(disKUMfit) v tomakesomeonefeeluneasy

Though thiswordsounds likediscomfort, thewordsaren’t really related.Theoriginalmeaning of the word was closer to vanquish, and it may have come to have themeaning it does today through confusionwithdiscomfort. Today, though, people aremorelikelytojustoptfordiscomfortandleavediscomfitoutoftheequationaltogether.

DIVERSION(divURzhun) n amusement;entertainmentAnotherwordthatisstillaroundtodaywithadifferentmeaning,diversionusedtomeana distraction from tedium. If youwere enjoying adiversion, you could say youwerepleasantlydiverted.

FAIR(fayr) adj attractiveThiswordisgenerallyusedtodescribewomenandisnotinthesameusetoday.Itisnowtypicallyusedtomean“light,”asinfairskinnedorfairhaired.

FIVEANDTWENTY(fyvandTWENtee) adj twentyfiveReadingclassic literaturecanbeconfusingforseveralreasons,evenonesassimpleashownumbersareexpressed.Two-digitnumbersaregenerallyarticulatedwith the“ones”digitfirstandthe“tens”digitsecond.

FORTNIGHT(FORTnyt) n twoweeksAnabbreviationoffourteennights,thewordfortnightisgenerallynotusedinAmericanspeechtoday,butitisstillinuseinEngland.Toexpress,“TwoweeksfromThursday,”youwouldsay,“Thursdayfortnight.”

GENTLEMAN(JENtulman) n manofsuperiorsocialpositionorbirthToday’susegenerallydenotesamanwithpolitemanners,butinmorestratifiedsocialstructures,theuseismorerigid.Agentlemanwouldbesomeonewithinheritanceandproperty(andtherebymeanstomakemoney),andwouldpossiblyalsohaveatitleofnobility.

GOUT(gowt) n diseasecausingarthritisandacutepainGoutwasknownasadiseasethataffectsthelazyandwealthybecauseitiscausedbythe consumption of rich foods and alcoholic beverages (which, of course, would beindulged in only by the affluent). Most first attacks affect the big toe, so literaryreferences tosomeonewithasore toegenerallymean that theperson isgouty (andthereforeindulgentandlazy).

HERETOFORE(heertooFOR) adv beforenowAword that barely survives todayexcept in legal speechandonstandardized tests,heretofore looksdaunting—but itsmeaning isnot toohard to remember if youbreaktheworddown.

ILLUSED(ilyoozd) adj havingbeentreatedpoorlyThis usage is similar to the modern expression of having been used, but today’sdefinition isnarrower(usuallymeaningthatfriendship isbeingtradedformoney,sex,orother favors). InanAustennovel,even refusing todancewithsomeonecouldbedecriedasilluse.

INSERVICE(inSURvis)phraseemployedasaservantSomeoneinservicetoaladyorgentlemanholdsapositionofservitudeandmayevenbe described asservile. The root for thesewords ties it to the Latinword forslave,thoughthereisadistinctionbetweenaslaveandaservant.

LADY(LAYdee) n womanofsuperiorsocialpositionorbirthLikeagentleman,aladyisdistinguishedbymorethanjustgoodmanners.Shewouldnot have been permitted to hold property or receive an inheritance as a gentlemanwould,butotherwisethesocialdistinctionisroughlythesame.

LIVING(LIVing) n paidandproperty-owningpositionasapreacherorvicarMakingalivingisaphraseinmodernAmericanspeechthatmayrefertoanyjobthatprovidesapaycheck,butinmuchEnglishliteratureitisusedtoreferspecificallytothepositionsheldbyclergy.

MAKELOVE(maykluv) v towooClearlyaphrasethathaschangedovertheyears,theoriginalmeaningofmake lovedidnotinvolvesex.Instead,itmeant“toexpresslovingsentiments,”“tocourt,”oreven“toflatter.”

MISSISH(MISish) adj overlysentimentalorprudishBecauseanunmarried(andthereforevirginal)womaniscalledMissregardlessofageinDickensnovels, it followsthatamissishpersonwouldbeeasilyembarrassedand,well,generallysilly.

MOLEST(mohLEST) v toharassThewordmolest didn’t carry the same sexual connotations in classic literature as itdoestoday;itcouldrefertoanybothersomeact.Theactofmolestingcouldbecalledamolestation,justasitistoday.

OBLIGE(ubLYJ) v todoassomeoneasksorwouldpreferClassicliteraturehasplentyofinstancesofonepersonobligingsomeonewithasongormarryingaparticularindividualtodisobligeherfamily.Thewordobligehasseveralmeanings, though, including to be beholden or obliged to someone. If you’ve everheardthesentence,“I’mmuchobliged,”you’veheardsomeonesaythatheorsheisinanotherperson’sdebt.

PERSONAGE(PURsunuj) n personPersonage used to indicate someone’s elevated status. In modern speech, it istypicallyusedonlytodescribeacharacterinanovelorotherliterarywork.

PLEBEIAN(PLEEbeeun) n personoflowerclassThewordplebeiandatesbacktotheancientRomanclasssystemandisusedinthesamesenseinclassicliterature.Inmodernusage,itmightbeusedtodescribetastesorattitudesbutrarelypeople.

PORTMANTEAU (portMAN toh) n large trunk, especially one that splits into twoequalpartsPortmanteauisnotusedinthissenseanymore,butisstillappliedtothingscomprisedoftwoormoreroughlyequalparts.Aportmanteauword,forexample,isawordthatismadefromtwootherwords,suchaschortle(chuckleandsnort),brunch(breakfastandlunch),andspork(spoonandfork).

PUBLICHOUSE(PUBlikhows) n tavernTheoriginofthewordpub, thiswordreferstoahouseorbuildingthat isopentothepublic and licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.Accommodationsandother servicesareoptional.

REPAIR(reePAYR) v toretireorretreat,particularlytoacalmerplaceOfcourse,thiswordisstill incommonuse,butitsuseinclassicliteratureisdifferent.Afteraparticularlytaxingball,onemightrepairtoone’sownparlortorest.

SENSIBILITY(SENsuhBILuhtee) n emotionorfeelingWhilethiswordmayseemclosetothewordsensible,sensibilityismorecloselyrelatedto sentiment than to reason. One who has sense, on the other hand, can also bedescribedassensible.

UNWONTED(unWAHNted) adj unusualWhensomeoneiswonttodosomething,itishishabittodothatthing.Unwonted,then,meansoutsideofthathabit.Thewordsoundslikeunwanted,butisnotrelated.

VICIOUS(VIshus) adj imperfect;viceriddenToday’s use of vicious typically brings to mind a snarling, rabies-ridden dog, but itsoriginaldefinitionderivesfromthewordviceandistheoppositeofvirtuous.

CHAPTER8

LawandGovernment

Sometimesevenaneruditegeneralvocabularyisn’tenoughtounderstandthenews—oryourownlegalaffairs.Ifyouaresurroundedby“legalese”andgovernmentaljargon,thislistwillhelpyoucutthroughtheredtape.

ADHOC(adhahk) adj temporary;formedforaspecificpurposeAdhoc isLatinfor“forthispurposeonly.”Anadhoccommittee isonethat is formedwiththeintentthatitwillbedissolvedonceitspurposeisserved.

AMNESTY(AMnestee) n official,blanketpardonofaoffenseAmnestyisgenerallygrantedforaparticulargroupofpeopleoraparticularcrime.Forexample,agovernmentmaygrantamnestytopoliticalprisonersofapreviousregime.

APPELLATECOURT(uhPELutkort) n courtthathearsappealsfromlowercourtsAlso called a court of appeals, an appellate court has the function of determiningwhether the lower court functioned properly in the trial at question. The party thatappeals the decision (and therefore refers it to the appellate court) is called theappellant.

BILLOFRIGHTS(biluvryts) n firsttenamendmentstotheU.S.ConstitutionThough the definition given here is how the term Bill of Rights is best known inAmerica,thetermcanbeappliedmoregenerallyasalistofrightsgiventoaparticulargroupofpeople.InthecaseoftheU.S.Constitution,theBillofRightsappliestoU.S.citizens.

BONAFIDE(bohnuhFYDE) adj genuineBonafideisLatinfor“withgoodfaith,”whichisatenetofcontractuallaw.

BREACHOFCONTRACT(breechuvKAHNtract) n asituationinwhichapartytoacontractdoesnotfulfillhisorherpartofthatcontractDepending on the severity of the breach, the other party may be legally entitled tocollectdamages, ormoney required to repair thesituationcausedby thebreach, aswellasterminatethecontract.

CAVEATEMPTOR (KAHveeahtEMPtor) n idea that thebuyer is responsible forconfirmingqualitybeforepurchasingCaveatemptorisLatinfor“letthebuyerbeware,”anditmeansthatthebuyershouldtestthegoodsfordefectsinqualityoraccepttheriskthatthegoodsmaybeworthless.Throughmodernconsumerprotectionmeasures,vendorsaregenerallyheldtosellinggoods of merchantable quality, which ensures some protection but is still open to

interpretationbylaw.

CLASSACTION (klas AK shun) n lawsuit filed by a group, on behalf of a largergroupClassaction lawsuitsarecommoninawiderangeoflegaldisputes,suchasantitrustlaws and varied matters of consumer protection. They allow injured parties whootherwisemay not have themeans to pursue legislative action to do so in a moreequitablewaythaniftheywerefacinglargecompaniesontheirown.Themembersofthegroupofpotentialplaintiffsarecalledclassmembers.

CONGRESS(KAHNgres) n acountry’slegislativebodyTheUnited StatesCongress is comprised of theHouse of Representatives and theSenate.Literallymeaning“meettogether,”congresscanalsorefertoanyassemblyorassociation.

Congressionalisanadjectivethatmeanshavingtodowithaparticularcongress.

DEFACTO(deeFAKtoh) adj actualLatinfor“infact,”defactoisoftenusedinlegalwritingtodistinguishsomethingfromdejure,orlawful.

DEPOSITION(depuhZIshun) n arecordofout-of-courttestimonyIn cases in which it is not possible or preferable for a witness to testify in court, adeposition may be taken out of court and presented at trial. Interestingly enough,deposition has another definition dealing with government: the deposing or removalfromofficeofamonarchorgovernmentleader.

DOUBLEJEOPARDY(DUHbulJEPurdee) n beingprosecutedtwiceforthesameoffenseTheFifthAmendment to theU.S.Constitution prohibitsdouble jeopardy, evenwhennewevidence is foundthatmaybe incriminating. Insomecountries, thediscoveryofnewevidenceisenoughtowarrantanewtrial.

DUEPROCESS(dooPRAHses) n fairtreatmentunderthelawDue process is a fundamental right guaranteed to U.S. citizens under the FifthAmendment to theConstitution. Basically, it decrees that citizens cannot be lawfullypunished(“deprivedoflife,liberty,orproperty”)withoutreceivingtheirlegalrights(suchastherighttotrialbyjury,etc.).

EXECUTOR(egZEKyootor) n personappointedtocarryoutthewishesexpressedinawillTheexecutorofawillisdeterminedbyajudge,whoappointsthepersonnamedinthe

will unless an outside, valid objection is made. Executrix is a name for a femaleexecutor;however,thistermisrarelyusedasexecutorcanstandforeithergender.

FAIRUSE (fayr yoos) n doctrine that determines the extent to which copyrightedmaterialcanbereproducedwithoutpermissionfromtheholderofthecopyrightThis isafrequently litigatedaspectofcopyright law,asthedistinctionsforwhatdoesanddoesnot constitute fairuse can be nebulous.Generally, the amount ofmaterialcopied and the purpose for which it is copied are factors that come into play; forexample,educationalpurposesmaybesubjecttobroaderinterpretationsoffairuse.

FIDUCIARY(fiDOOsheearee) n apersonorbusinessthathasthepowertoactforanotherFiduciaryisfromtheLatinfiducia,fortrust.Afiduciaryistrustedtoactingoodfaithforanother,or for theorganizationofwhichheorshe isa representative.Fiduciarycanalsobeanadjectivemeaninginvolvingtrust.

FILIBUSTER(FILuhbustur) v toobstructameasureinalegislativebodyThe image most Americans may have of filibustering in action is of members ofcongresstalkingforhoursonend,evenreadingrecipesandthephonebookinordertodelayorpreventavote.Thisprocessiscalledafilibuster,asthewordcanbeanounaswellasaverb.

FREEANDCLEAR(freeandkleer) adj thestateofownershipinwhichnoonehasaclaimagainstthepropertyownedPropertythatisownedfreeandclearisopposedtopropertyonwhichadebtisbeingpaidoranotherpartyhasalegalclaim.

GAGORDER(GAGORdur) n ajudge’sorderforattorneysandparticipantsnottotalkaboutapendingcaseinpublicortothemediaGagordersaregenerallyused incountries inwhich judgeshavenopower torestrictthemediafrompublishingdetailsoftheproceedings,andareinstitutedtopreventtrialparticipants from “trying the case in the court of public opinion” and potentiallytarnishingthejurypoolortoincitepublicpressure.

GARNISHMENT(GARnishment) n theactofseizingone’swagesAjudgemayrulethatadebtor’swagesbelegallygarnished inordertosettleadebt,suchas toa credit agency, child support agency,oremployer. In thisway, thepartybeing owed has more assurance that the debt will be paid because the garnishedamountsaretransferreddirectlywithoutevergoingtothedebtor.

GRANDFATHERCLAUSE(GRANDfahthurklaws) n clauseinalawthatexemptscertaingroupsofpeoplewhoserightswouldotherwisebeaffectedbythatlaw

Theoriginalgrandfatherclausewas part of the discriminatory JimCrow laws,whichdisenfranchisedAfrican-AmericanvotersinsomesouthernU.S.statesfrom1895tothe1950s.Thisclauseallowedexceptions in thestringentrequirementsforvoters if theirgrandfathershadbeeneligibletovotebefore1870,effectivelymeaningthatthevotingrequirements applied only to African Americans. To be exempted by a grandfatherclauseisknownasbeinggrandfatheredin.

IMPEACHMENT (im PEECH ment) n the formal process by which an official ischargedwithmisconductThe verb form, impeach, may also be used. A common word that is related toimpeachmentisunimpeachable,asinthephraseunimpeachablemorals,whichmeansthatsomeonehasmoralsthataresostrongthattheyareabovequestion.

INLIEU(enLOO)prepinsteadThis two-dollar phrase is frequently used in place of instead in legal and legislativedocuments,butthetwoarevirtuallythesame.Forexample,ifyoudon’thaveareceipttoaccompanyareturn,thecashiermayofferstorecreditinlieuofarefund.

INDICTMENT(enDYTment) n aformalchargeofaseriouscrimeWhile this word has a specific legal definition, it can also be used to mean anillustrationorexampleofabadsituation,asinthesentence“Thecurrenttoppopstarsareanindictmentofdeclininginterestinthearts.”

LIVINGWILL(LIVingwil) n apersonalstatementofdirectivesformedicaltreatmentintheeventthatsomeoneisincapacitatedfrommakinginformedconsentInanageofincreasingmedicaladvances,itisbecomingpossibleinawiderrangeofcircumstances for hospitals to keeppeople physically alive on life support even in astateofmentalinactivity.Therefore,livingwillsarebecomingincreasinglypopularasameans toappoint aproxy tomakedecisions for someonewho is incapacitated, andalsoallowapatienttochoosedeathincertaincircumstanceswithoutincreasingliabilityforthehospitalandotherpeopleinvolved.

MODUSOPERANDI (MOHdusahperANDy) n a “modeofoperation,”generallyreferringtotheestablishedhabitsofacriminalOnpoliceandlegaldramas,thisisoftenreferredtoastheM-O,anditmaybeusedtolinkacriminaltoseveralcrimesonceheorsheisasuspectforone.

MORATORIUM(moruhTOReeum) n apostponementofactivityFromaLatinwordmeaning“delay,”moratoriummayrefertoanypolicyofdeferral.Forinstance,agovernmentmayrequiredebtcollectorstoobserveamoratoriumonactivityfor the victims of a natural disaster to give the victims time to financially reestablishthemselves.

OBSTRUCTIONOFJUSTICE(ubSTRUKshunuvJUStis) n anattempt to thwarttheinvestigationofacrimeObstructionofjusticemayconsistoflyingtoinvestigatorsorprosecutors,destroyingorhiding evidence, threatening jurors or prosecutors, or any action taken in order toimpedeaninvestigationorprosecution.Obstructionofjusticeisacrime.

PROTEM(prohtem) adj temporary;interimProtemisshortfortheLatinprotempore,meaningtemporary.Generallythisreferstosomeoneservingasasubstituteuntiltheholderofapositionreturnsorispermanentlyreplaced.

QUORUM(KWORum) n minimumnumberofmembersofacommitteeorlegislativebodythatmustbepresentinordertoconductbusinessThequorumofanorganizationisusuallyamajorityofmembers.Theofficialnumberorpercentageisgenerallyoutlinedintheorganization’sbylaws.

RECUSE(reeKYOOZ) v toremovefromlegalorgovernmentaldutiesbecauseofapotentialconflictofinterestJudges,jurymembers,attorneys,andmembersofCongresshavetheresponsibilitytorecuse themselves fromduties inwhich theybelieveaconflictof interestmaycausethemtoserveoractinabiasedmanner.Thenounformofthewordisrecusal.

SEQUESTER(seKWEstur) v toisolateDuringhigh-profiletrials,juriesaresequesteredawayfromthepublic,themedia,andeven friends and family (except under supervision) so that their opinions of the trialaren’tinfluencedbyoutsidesources.

SUBPOENA (suhPEEnuh) v to summona certain person or certain evidence toappearorbepresentedincourtWhensomeone issubpoenaed,heorshe is required toappear incourtby law.Thenoun formof theword,meaningasummons forsomeoneorsomething toappear incourt,isalsospelledandpronouncedsubpoena.

TORT(tort) n wrongfulactFromFrenchfor“wrong,”atortisanywronginwhichharmisinflicteduponsomeone,regardlessofintention.Italsoreferstoamajorbranchoflawandthelargestintermsofcivillitigation.

CHAPTER9

Religion

As the world shrinks due to the advent of the Internet and other means of rapidcommunication, we’re hearing and seeing more and more words from the manyreligions of the world. Here’s a short guide to the ones we encounter most often—including, where applicable, the new connotations they have taken on in secularspeech. We’ve also thrown in some words about religion in general that are worthknowing.

AGNOSTIC(agNAHstik) adj someonewhobelievesthattheexistenceornatureofadeityisunknownornotknowable

ASALAMU’ALAYKUM(ahsahLAHMahLAYkem)phraseaMuslimgreetingthatisgenerallytranslatedas“peacebeuponyou”Toreturn thesentiment, justsaywaalaykumassalam,whichmeans “andonyoubepeace.”

AVATAR(AVuhtar) n inHinduism,themanifestationofadeityinbodilyform

BAPTISM (BAP tizm) n a ceremony of admission into a specificChristian church,oftensignifiedwithimmersioninorsprinklingofwater

CANONIZE(CANunyz) v inRomanCatholicism,toadmitadeadpersontothelistofrecognizedsaints

CASTE (cast) n a form of class distinction in Hindu society, based on relativedegreesofhereditarypurityand/orsocialstatus

CHUPPAH (HUP ah) n canopy beneath which the wedding party stands while aJewishmarriageceremonyisperformed

COVENANT (KUV uh nant) n in Judaism, the Biblical covenants made withAbraham,Moses,andDavidInMoses’scase,covenantrefersspecificallytotheTenCommandmentscontainedintheArkoftheCovenant,whichwascarriedbytheIsraelitesontheirwanderingsinthewilderness.

DHARMA(DARmuh) n inBuddhism,theteachingsoftheBuddha;inHinduism,theprincipleoforderandrighteousnessinthecosmos

ECUMENICAL (ek yoo MEN uh kul) adj pertaining to ideas held in common bydifferentChristianchurches

ENLIGHTENMENT (en LYT unment) n in Buddhism, the state of having attainedinsightorknowledgethatfreesanindividualfromthecycleofreincarnation

EUCHARIST (YOOkuh rist) n aChristian ceremony that commemorates the LastSupperTheeucharistinvolvestheconsecrationandconsumptionofbreadandwine,whicharereferredtoasthebodyandbloodofJesusChrist.

EVANGELIZE(eeVANjuhlyz) v topreachtheChristiangospel inordertoconvertsomeonetoChristianityIndividuals who participate in this practice are generally known as evangelicals orevangelicalChristians.

EXCOMMUNICATE (exkumYOOnikayt) v theofficialexclusionofaperson fromparticipatinginthesacramentsandservicesofaChristianfaith

GURDWARA(gurDWARuh) n aSikhplaceofworship

HAJJ (hahzh) n thepilgrimage toMecca thatallMuslimsareexpected tomakeatleastonceintheirlifetime

HALAL(huhLAHL) adj somethingthatisreligiouslyacceptableaccordingtoMuslimlawThis term is often heard in reference to dietary laws. For example, meat that isbutcheredaccordingtoMuslimlawisdescribedashalal.

HIJAB (hi JAHB) n a head covering worn in public by many Muslim women infollowingreligiouscodes

KOSHER(KOHshur) adj pertainingtofoodthatsatisfiestherequirementsofJewishlawInsecularusage,kosherdescribessomethingthatisacceptableorlegitimate,whichisclosetotheoriginaldefinitionoftheword,whichis“proper.”

LITURGY(LITurjee) n IntheChristianchurch,theform(s)inwhichpublicreligiousservicesareconducted

MANNA (MANuh) n In theBible, themiraculous foodsupplied to the IsraelitesastheywanderedinthewildernessInmodernusage,mannadenotessomething that isunexpectedlysupplied,generallytothereliefofthespeakerorauthor.

MANTRA (MAHN truh) n in Buddhism and Hinduism, a word, sound, or phrase

repeatedasanelementofpracticeinmeditationIneverydayusage,amantra isawordorphrase repeated fora reminder, increasedselfconfidence,orluck.

MENORAH(menORuh) n asacredcandelabramostcommonlyassociatedwiththeJewishcelebrationofChanukahAChanukahmenorahhaseightbranchesandacentralsocket,whereasyoumayseeothermenorahswithonlysevenbranches.

MUEZZIN (myoo EH zun) n a man who proclaims Muslim prayer time from theminarettowerofamosque

MULLAH (MUH luh) n a Muslim person who has extensively studied Islamictheologyandsacredlaw

OLIVEBRANCH(AHlivbranch) n awidelyregardedsymbolofpeaceThistermcomesfromtheBiblicalstoryofNoah,inwhichadovereturnswithanolivebranch—asignthatthegreatfloodsentbyGodwasreceding.

PHILISTINE (FILuhstyn) n anon-SemiticpeopleofsouthernPalestinewhocameintoconflictwiththeIsraelitesinthe12thcenturyb.c.Modern usage generally refers to those with a distaste or indifference to arts andculture.

PROSELYTIZE(PRAHselehtyz) v toattempttoconvertapersonfromonereligiontoanother

SACRAMENT (SAK ruh mint) n an act or ceremony of the Christian church thatvisiblydemonstratesaspiritualbeliefBaptismandcommunionareexamplesofsacraments.

SAMSARA(samSAHruh) n inHinduismandBuddhism,thecycleofreincarnationthatisbrokenwhenoneattainsenlightenment

SECTARIAN(sekTAReeun) n apersonwhorigidlyfollowstheveryspecificbeliefsofaparticularreligiousgrouporsect

SUTRA (SOO truh) n in Buddhism, canonical scriptures considered to be directrecordsofGautamaBuddha’soralteachings

TALMUD (TALmud) n inJudaism,acollectionof rabbinicalwritingscontaining theentiretyofJewishcivilandreligiousethics,customs,andlegend

TITHE(tythe) n anindividual’svoluntarygivingtoachurchHistorically,a tithewasa tenpercentearnings tax for thesupportofChristianclergyandchurches.

TRANSFIGURATION(tranzfigyoorAYshun) n atotalchangeofappearanceintoanelevatedspiritualstate

TRANSUBSTANTIATION (tran sub stan shee AY shun) n primarily in RomanCatholicism,theactualconversionoftheeucharisticelementsintothebodyandbloodofChrist

YARMULKE(YAHmulkuh) n askullcapthatiswornbyJewishmen(andsometimeswomen)inprayer,oratalltimesbyOrthodoxJewishmen

CHAPTER10

MoreCommonUsageErrors(ContinuedfromWordSmart)

OurCommonUsageErrors chapter in theoriginalWordSmartwas so popular, thatwe’rebackwithmore!Manyof theseerrors involveconfusingsimilarwordsorusingreal words incorrectly—in short, they can’t be caught with the spell check on yourcomputer.Soit’sagoodideatopaycloseattentiontothislist,andconsultitfrequentlynexttimeyou’rewritinganimportantdocument.

ALOTAlotisalwaystwoseparatewords;alotisnevercorrect.

ACCEPT/EXCEPTToacceptistoreceivesomethingwithconsent.Exceptmeansnotincluding.

• Weacceptedallofthehousewarminggiftswithpleasure,exceptthefour-footfrogstatuefrommycousin.

AFFECT/EFFECTAffect is a verbmeaning to causea change.Effect is generally anounthatmeansaresultorconsequence.

• My friend apologized for her grumpiness during her visit; apparently, the rainnegativelyaffectedhermood.

• BecauseI’mfromSeattle,rainhasnonegativeeffectonmymood.

ALLUSION/ILLUSIONAnallusionisasubtlereference.Anillusionisamirageorfalsebelief.

• Haveyoubeenmakingallusionstomyearlierfalldownthestairs,oristhatjustanillusionofmine?

AMBIGUOUS/AMBIVALENTAmbiguousmeansunsureorunclear.Ambivalentmeansfeelingopposingthingsatthesametime.

• Thenotesayingthatmygirlfriendhadleftwasambiguous;Ididn’tknowwhethershehadleftforgood,soIwenttolookforher.

• Iamfeelingambivalentaboutmydog;Ilovehimdearly,butIhatehimforchewinguptherugwhileIwasatwork.

COMPLEMENT/COMPLIMENT To complement is to complete. To compliment is topraise.Bothwordshavenounformsthatarespelledandpronouncedthesameastheverbs.

• ScottandJudyaregettingmarriedbecausetheycomplementeachothersowell.Theyareidealcomplements.

• Blanchecomplimentedmeonmynewpuceshoes. Iwasn’tsureabout thematfirst,soitwasanidealcompliment.

CONTINUAL/CONTINUOUS Continual means frequently happening. Continuousmeanswithoutinterruption.

• You say that I continuously correct people, but I think you actually meancontinually.Continuousmeansthat Iwouldneverstop,whichofcoursecan’tbetrue.

COULDOF/WOULDOF/SHOULDOFThesephrasesarenevercorrect.Thecorrectphrasingsarecouldhave,wouldhave,andshouldhave.

DEFUSE/DIFFUSETodefuse is to remove the fuse fromabomb.Figuratively, itcanmeantoavoidadifficultsituation.Todiffuseistospreadoverawidearea.

• Myboss’semailsaidthathewishedtodiffusethetensioninthedepartment,andsure enough, the tension was spreading at a rapid rate. I’m sure hemeant todefuseeveryone’snervousness.

DISINTERESTED/UNINTERESTEDDisinterestedmeans“havingnoissueofpersonalgain.”Uninterestedmeans“havingnointerest.”

• Weintendedtohireadisinterestedmediator toresolvetheconflict;however,heturnedouttobesouninterestedintheproceedingsthathefellasleeponthetableinfrontofus.

ELICIT/ILLICITElicitisaverbmeaning“todrawoutaresponse.”Illicit isanadjectivethatmeans“illegalorunsanctioned.”

• The journalist is amaster ofeliciting the details of her interviewees’ affairs, nomatterhowclandestineandillicit.

EMIGRATE/IMMIGRATEToemigrateistoleaveacountryforgood.Toimmigrateistosettleinanewcountry.

• IemigratedfromGermanyandimmigratedtoAustralia.

EMINENT/IMMANENT/IMMINENT Eminent means “important.” Immanent means“inherent.”Imminentmeans“abouttohappen.”

• Kurt became an eminent scholar in his field partly because of his immanentpassionforthetopic.Oncehereceivedhisfirstfanletter,heknewfortunebeyondhiswildestdreamswasimminent.

GOOD/WELLGoodisanadjective.Wellisanadverb.Becauseofamodernemphasisonwellness,itisgenerallyacceptedtosay,“Iamwell,”butotherwise,donotconfusethetwo.

• Ashkaisagooddancer.Shetangosextremelywell.

IT’S/ITSIt’sisacontractionthatstandsfor“itis.”Itsisapossessivepronoun.Tomake

sureyou’reusingthecorrectone,askyourselfwhether“itis”wouldmakesenseinthesentenceyou’rewriting.Ifitwouldn’t,avoidtheapostropheanduseits.

• It’sunfortunatethatthetoywon’tevenrunforhalfanhourwithitsownbatteries;weneedtobuysomemorepowerfulones.

MORAL/MORALEMoral means “concerned with right and wrong.” Morale means“spiritorenthusiasm.”

• ThefactthatGeorgemadeittothetopofthesalesteamdamagedthemoraleofhis coworkers; they were dispirited to see someone succeed who had such askewedmoralsense.

NAUSEATED/NAUSEOUSAlthough thisone is sometimesdisputed,manygrammarexpertssaythatthecorrectmeaningofnauseatedis“inclinedtothrowup.”Meanwhile,accordingtotheexperts,nauseousdescribessomethingthatmakesyouwanttothrowup.

• Thenauseousodorfromthestrongcheesemademefeelnauseated.

PRINCIPAL/PRINCIPLE A principal is an important person in an organization. Aprincipleisafundamentaltruth.

• The principals all rose to the top of the dance company because of theirdedicationtotheprincipleofhardwork.

RESPECTABLY/RESPECTFULLY/RESPECTIVELY Respectably means “worthy ofrespect.” Respectfully means “showing respect.” Respectively means “in the ordergiven.”

• Respectably and respectfully mean worthy of respect and showing respect,respectively.

SIMPLE/SIMPLISTICSimple means “uncomplicated”; it generally does not have anegative connotation unless a person is being called simple.Simplistic means “souncomplicatedthattheauthordidn’treallyunderstandtheissue.”

• The new budget is simple to implement and it meets the needs of the entireorganizationwell.

• Thenewbudgetissosimplisticthattherearemanyareasoftheorganizationthatwillnothavetheirneedsaddressed.

THAN/THENThan isused toshowacomparison.Then isused to indicateacertaintimeoraneffect.

• IfshethinksI’muglierthanagorilla,thenIguesswewon’tbegoingtothepromtogether.

THEIR/THERE/THEY’RE Their is a plural, possessive pronoun. There generally

indicatesaplaceoracertainpoint.They’reisacontractionthatstandsfortheyare.• Ididn’tgetaninvitationtotheirparty.• It’sbeingheldatthepavilion,andIdon’tusuallygothere.• Besides,they’renotthenicestpeopletohangaround.

TO/TOO/TWOTo isapreposition indicatingmotion inacertaindirection.Toomeans“also”or“excessively.”Twoisanumber.

• Iamgoingtothepartyanyway.• Doyouwanttocometoo?• It’stooearlytocallitanight.• MaybeI’llevenbringtwootherfriends.

WEATHER/WETHER/WHETHER Weather is the state of the atmosphere at aparticular place and time. Awether is a castrated ram, so its use in business andacademic writing is limited (and luckily, most spell checkers will correct you on thisone).Whetherisaconjunctionthatshowsachoice,anditisnotnecessarytofollowitupwith“ornot.”

• Theweather is a little cloudy, so I am undecidedwhetherwe should go to thebeach.

WHEREATThisisredundantandoftencauseswritersandspeakerstoendsentenceswithprepositions.Justdroptheat,andinsteadofsaying,“Where’sthefoodat?”say,“Where’sthefood?”

YOU’RE/YOURYou’reisacontractionthatstandsfor“youare.”Your isapossessivepronoun.

• You’remostwelcometoaccompanyme.• IfindyourcompanymoretolerablethanthatofanyoneelseIknow.

CHAPTER11

TheFinalExam

ClickheretodownloadaPDFofTheFinalExam.

http://rhlink.com/9781524710880a001

EverywordinMoreWordSmartappearsatleastonceinthesefinalexams.Foreachten-questiondrill,youshouldgeteightorninecorrect. Ifnot,youshouldspendmoretimewitheachentrytomakesureyouhaveplantedthewordfirmlyinyourlong-termmemory. You might want to do these drills on scratch paper so that you can quizyourselfagainatsomefuturedate.

Goodluck!

FinalExamDrill#1:DEFINITIONSForeachquestionbelow,matchthewordontheleftwithitsdefinitionontheright.

1. suffrage a. archedpassageway2. bauble b. difference3. enumerate c. gaudytrinket4. arcade d. greedy5. acquisitive e. righttovote6. clandestine f. secret7. shibboleth g. nameonebyone8. deign h. catchword9. discrepancy i. fashion10. vogue j. condescend

FinalExamDrill#2:ANTONYMSFor each question below, match the word on the left with the word most nearly itsoppositeontheright.

1. denunciation a. dotage2. embroil b. ingratiate3. depose c. verdant4. cordial d. endearment5. conspicuous e. emancipate6. contumely f. champion7. alienate g. cloistered8. precocity h. abasement9. stark i. effrontery10. compunction j. brusque


1. regimen a. performwithoutpreparation2. toil b. regulatedcourse3. supine c. lyingontheback4. quell d. familiar5. prelude e. hardwork6. tumult f. introduction7. impasse g. belligerentpatriotism8. jingoism h. putanendto9. improvise i. violent,noisycommotion10. conversant j. deadlock


1. explication a. depleted2. wizened b. anathema3. puritanical c. expunged4. appalling d. demise5. dismay e. estimable6. extant f. prurient7. resurrection g. corpulent8. benediction h. dissuade9. induce i. exuberance10. rife j. inquisition

FinalExamDrill#5:PRONUNCIATIONSPronounceeachofthefollowingwordswithoutlookingatcolumnaorcolumnb.Thenselectthecolumnthatcomesclosertoyourpronunciation.

1. vacuity a. VAKyoouhtee b. vaKYOOuhtee2. draconian a. draKOHNeeun b. drayKOHneeun3. tumult a. TUMult b. TYOOmult4. explicable a. ekSPLIKuhbul b. EKSplikuhbul5. patina a. puhTEEnuh b. PATuhnuh6. presage a. preeSAYJ b. PRESij7. grimace a. griMAYS b. GRIMis

8. licentious a. lyeSENshus b. lyeSENteeus9. cabal a. kuhBAL b. CABul10. auxiliary a. awgZILuhree b. awgZILyuhree


1. fledgling a. influx2. advent b. defunct3. integral c. aftermath4. emanation d. auxiliary5. suppress e. affiliate6. aghast f. fuel7. secede g. flippant8. acquit h. forestall9. accede i. stupefy10. galvanize j. arraign


1. antipodal a. makefilthy2. partition b. division3. parallel c. tediousrecounting4. implication d. sink5. subside e. harmful6. resplendent f. exactlyopposite7. inimical g. abolish8. abrogate h. somethingsuggested9. degrade i. similar10. litany j. brilliantlyshining

FinalExamDrill#8:ODDONEOUTForeachquestionbelow,choosethewordthatisleastsimilarinmeaningtotheothertwo.

1.a. lobby b. abrogate c. nullify2.a. pristine b. nebulous c. turbid3.a. quell b. repress c. impending

4.a. apparition b. equestrian c. phantasm5.a. obeisance b. supplication c. ascertain6.a. predicament b. predominant c. preponderance7.a. nonchalant b. nirvana c. tepid8.a. karma b. augur c. herald9.a. neophyte b. pundit c. fledgling10.a. elegy b. dirge c. impasse


1. slake a. emaciate2. antedate b. posturing3. exodus c. ensue4. impassioned d. nebulous5. drollery e. repugnant6. insouciance f. angst7. distinct g. confluence8. redeeming h. consternation9. cohort i. dispassionate10. forthright j. nemesis


1. deploy a. cite2. consign b. line3. olfactory c. handover4. adduce d. somethingthatheals5. mode e. temporaryencampment6. balm f. methodofdoing7. bivouac g. pertainingtothesenseofsmell8. accouterments h. trappings9. queue i. reduction10. diminution j. arrangestrategically

FinalExamDrill#11:ANTONYMSFor each question below, match the word on the left with the wordmost nearly itsoppositeontheright.

1. fallacy a. entity2. insuperable b. verity3. doleful c. pluralism4. porous d. superseded5. chaste e. dejected6. cipher f. sordid7. gratis g. exorbitant8. jubilant h. elated9. bravado i. impenetrable10. solidarity j. beingdemure


1. diminution a. dimuhNOOshun b. dimyooNISHun2. insuperable a. inSUPuruhbul b. inSOOpuruhbul3. hypertrophy a. HYEpurtrohfee b. hyePURtruhfee4. triumvirate a. tryeUMvuhrit b. tryeumVYErayt5. junta a. HOONtuh b. JOONtuh6. bivouac a. BIVwak b. BIVooak7. atrophy a. Atruhfee b. ahTROHfee8. wizened a. WYEzund b. WIZund9. adjunct a. ADjunkt b. AJunkt10. posthumous a. pohstHUMus b. PAHSchuhmus

FinalExamDrill#13:SYNONYMSFor each question below, match the word on the left with the word most similar inmeaningontheright.

1. capacious a. noisome2. expostulate b. propound3. allegory c. nomadic4. armistice d. voluminous5. citadel e. accord6. spurn f. arsenal7. curb g. bulwark8. armament h. rebuff9. errant i. avert10. odious j. parable


1. annuity a. modelofexcellence2. paragon b. funeralsong3. engaging c. ascribinghumancharacteristics4. intervene d. far-reaching5. sanction e. annualallowance6. bilious f. charming7. anthropomorphic g. personskilledinacraft8. dirge h. comebetweenopposinggroups9. artisan i. officialpermissionorapproval10. sweeping j. ill-tempered


1. zenith a. nescient2. facade b. crescendo3. spate c. surmise4. purblind d. epicurean5. ascribe e. impunity6. crux f. attribute7. sumptuous g. cascade8. ratiocinate h. ribald9. titillating i. motif10. exemption j. facet


1.a. emissary b. incursion c. liaison2.a. generic b. implication c. corollary3.a. dissident b. posterity c. refractory4.a. propound b. advocate c. supersede5.a. fickle b. downcast c. doleful6.a. enumerate b. litany c. innuendo7.a. repartee b. banter c. oxymoron

8.a. prurient b. placebo c. sordid9.a. cull b. scorn c. spurn10.a. foray b. overture c. menagerie


1. avant-garde a. fakemedication2. underlying b. unbury3. invoke c. summonforth4. classic d. vanguard5. exhume e. prayfor6. evoke f. top-notch7. mire g. marshy,muckyground8. trenchant h. basic9. placebo i. tendency10. inclination j. concise


1. abeyance a. rend2. melee b. replica3. lout c. cowering4. fragment d. cataclysm5. clone e. boor6. craven f. altercation7. millennium g. verge8. threshold h. moratorium9. skirmish i. disarray10. conflagration j. epoch


1. halcyon a. HALseeun b. HALKyun2. hubris a. HUBris b. HYOObris3. protégé a. PROHtuhzhay b. PROHteeg

4. inviolate a. inVYEuhlit b. inVYEohlayt5. hypocrisy a. hiPAHKruhsee b. HYEpohkrisee6. rhapsodic a. RAPsuhdik b. rapSAHDik7. motif a. MOHtif b. mohTEEF8. fiasco a. feeASkoh b. fyeASkoh9. rationale a. RASHuhnul b. rashuhNAL10. fruition a. frooISHun b. frooshun


1. tryst a. reactionary2. concession b. dilemma3. dissidence c. resignation4. crux d. divination5. conservative e. punctilious6. augury f. plight7. decry g. dissent8. meticulous h. abound9. teem i. deplore10. affliction j. liaison


1. amid a. incitement2. fiscal b. systemofnames3. delinquent c. largelyconfinedtosittingdown4. doubleentendre d. wordmadeupofinitials5. nomenclature e. inthemiddleof6. acronym f. grayorwhitewithage7. provocation g. monetary8. concomitant h. neglectingaduty9. sedentary i. followingfrom10. hoary j. doublemeaning


1. uncanny a. elocution2. deft b. quaint3. primal c. gambit4. articulation d. forswear5. peculiar e. repartee6. abjure f. inexplicable7. impassive g. presume8. retort h. aboriginal9. stratagem i. canny10. presuppose j. objective


1. reprobate a. ruleorlaw2. exposition b. makeanuglyface3. rationale c. greeting4. canon d. seeminglyunending5. interminable e. depraved,wickedperson6. salutation f. forceofmovement7. ebb g. explanation8. momentum h. diminish9. materialistic i. underlyingreason10. grimace j. preoccupiedwithmaterialthings


1.a. baroque b. serene c. halcyon2.a. spectrum b. gamut c. interim3.a. stolid b. avid c. phlegmatic4.a. melancholy b. crestfallen c. solace5.a. progeny b. stratagem c. gambit6.a. conundrum b. jingoism c. quandary7.a. harbinger b. ominous c. discursive8.a. diatribe b. epicure c. fulminate9.a. emanate b. expiate c. disperse10.a. inculcate b. dissent c. perverse


1. lobby a. consolidate2. muster b. subsidiary3. entrepreneurial c. advocate4. ennui d. cull5. serpentine e. highestcaste6. elite f. self-made7. adjunct g. commiseration8. pathos h. pristine9. garner i. tortuous10. untainted j. doldrums


1. bacchanal a. BAKuhnul b. BuhCHANul2. schism a. SIZum b. SKIZum3. reclamation a. rekluhMAYshun b. reeklamAYshun4. punitive a. PUNitiv b. PYOOnuhtiv5. degradation a. degruhDAYshun b. duhgrayDAYshun6. integral a. inTEGrul b. INtuhgrul7. ennui a. AHNwee b. ENwee8. apostasy a. APohstaysee b. uhPAHStuhsee9. prescient a. PREEseeunt b. PRESHunt10. mores a. mawrs b. MAWRayz


1. singular a. tedious2. bracing b. serenity3. jaunty c. rarefied4. rampant d. hypertrophy5. festering e. anterior6. attest f. generic

7. wane g. dismal8. bedlam h. query9. posterior i. wake10. harbinger j. remission


1. careen a. shockinglyhorrible2. discursive b. classification3. apprise c. groupofcloseassociates4. sovereign d. crazedexcitement5. ghastly e. supremeruler6. denomination f. aimlesslyrambling7. coterie g. swerve8. embargo h. displaythreateningly9. mania i. givenoticeto10. brandish j. governmentordersuspendingtrade


1. lascivious a. reprimand2. inflammatory b. herald3. override c. occult4. revile d. eclipse5. perverse e. disposition6. demeanor f. prurient7. harp g. cavil8. mysticism h. incendiary9. apropos i. refractory10. presage j. apt


1. apposite a. politicalmeeting2. caucus b. direct3. channel c. bitingirony

4. impresario d. pertainingtoacityortown5. commemorate e. distinctlysuitable6. archipelago f. personwhomanagespublicentertainments7. municipal g. honorthememoryof8. sarcasm h. groupofislands9. pastoral i. rural10. divulge j. reveal


1. confound a. averse2. genesis b. epilogue3. aver c. discourse4. prattle d. premeditated5. abet e. debunk6. enmity f. confederacy7. avid g. throttle8. inadvertent h. vigilant9. perpetuate i. envision10. impromptu j. thwart


1.a. abeyance b. fiat c. interlude2.a. pregnant b. august c. rife3.a. ennui b. listless c. ludicrous4.a. inviolate b. licentious c. ribald5.a. timorous b. cower c. demur6.a. alienate b. mystic c. estrange7.a. decry b. deplore c. depose8.a. duress b. tortuous c. convolution9.a. figment b. pungent c. trenchant10.a. harp b. transfix c. rivet

FinalExamDrill#33:PRONUNCIATIONSPronounceeachofthefollowingwordswithoutlookingatcolumnaorcolumnb.Then

selectthecolumnthatcomesclosertoyourpronunciation.

1. foray a. FAWRay b. fawRAY2. bilious a. BILeeus b. BILyus3. dour a. DOWur b. door4. deprivation a. depruhVAYshun b. duhpryeVAYshun5. titular a. TITyoolur b. TICHuhlur6. insouciant a. inSOOseeunt b. inSOOsheeunt7. paroxysm a. puhRAHKsum b. PARuksizum8. retort a. riTAWRT b. REEtawrt9. liaison a. LEEuhzahn b. leeAYzahn10. olfactory a. ahlFAKturee b. OHLfakturee


1. mawkish a. convene2. corrugated b. explicable3. conundrumlike c. callous4. boon d. jocular5. dour e. adversity6. adjourn f. concerted7. embellish g. vivacity8. listlessness h. seamless9. quintessence i. dross10. unilateral j. dilapidate


1. canvass a. shortage2. vagary b. freefrominjury3. inviolate c. disaster4. patrimony d. seekvotesoropinions5. revamp e. inheritance6. calamity f. whim7. entreat g. revise8. balk h. diplomaticetiquette9. deficit i. askearnestly10. protocol j. refuseabruptly


1. paranoid a. ancillary2. halcyon b. harried3. timorous c. waive4. repose d. disquiet5. impending e. brazen6. assert f. stalwart7. exquisite g. botched8. apoplexy h. posthumous9. embryonic i. composure10. cardinal j. retrospective


1. precarious a. alandingontheedgeofthewater2. duress b. float3. critique c. dangerous4. waft d. currentlyholdingoffice5. brouhaha e. stridentlyloud6. muse f. reproduce7. propagate g. coercion8. quay h. ponder9. incumbent i. uproar10. raucous j. criticalreview


1. foreclose a. infraction2. sophomoric b. opprobrium3. bland c. foster4. limpid d. august5. obeisance e. quiescence6. conviction f. hubris7. fawning g. pungent

8. acclaim h. traumatize9. avail i. turbid10. paroxysm j. oscillation


1. satyr a. SAYtur b. SATur2. quasi a. KWAYzye b. KWAHzee3. exquisite a. ekSWIZit b. EKSkwizit4. electoral a. eelekTAWRul b. iLEKtuhrul5. emaciate a. iMAYsheeayt b. iMAYseeayt6. remuneration a. rimyoonuhRAYshun b. reenoomurAYshun7. crevasse a. kruhVAS b. KREVus8. pathos a. PAYthahs b. PATHohs9. quay a. kee b. kway10. trauma a. TROWmuh b. TRAWmuh


1.a. veneer b. facade c. queue2.a. baleful b. vigilant c. wary3.a. enmity b. exuberant c. elation4.a. quiescent b. pastoral c. lavish5.a. apogee b. aspersion c. antipodal6.a. prowess b. atrophy c. wizened7.a. germane b. converse c. apposite8.a. flippant b. sarcasm c. eulogy9.a. embody b. diffuse c. propagate10.a. oligarchy b. demography c. triumvirate


1. impregnable a. homage2. affront b. woe

3. allegiance c. aspersion4. replete d. scant5. copious e. vacuous6. bliss f. empower7. loathe g. panegyric8. eulogy h. estrangement9. diatribe i. susceptible10. nullify j. rhapsodize


1. arid a. loathing2. cloy b. outofproportion3. revulsion c. causetofeeltoofull4. equestrian d. verydry5. chaff e. displayingglowing,changingcolors6. inimitable f. impair7. undermine g. worthlessstuff8. disproportionate h. impossibletoimitate9. devout i. havingtodowithhorsebackriding10. iridescent j. deeplyreligious


1. wax a. atrophy2. discretionary b. imperative3. plausible c. perigee4. downplay d. insufferable5. captivate e. harass6. dissembling f. aggrandizement7. compatible g. ludicrous8. diminution h. disaffect9. coddle i. ballyhoo10. apex j. forthright


1. elite a. mostselectgroup2. obviate b. removebycutting3. corrosive c. makeunnecessary4. stint d. restrict5. excise e. smuggledgoods6. lyrical f. melodious7. contraband g. affectingtheentiresystem8. demographics h. studyofpopulationcharacteristics9. ascertain i. determinewithcertainty10. systemic j. eatingaway


1. interlude a. famine2. toxic b. rhapsodic3. ineluctable c. interim4. elegiac d. carcinogenic5. privation e. jocose6. crevice f. booty7. cabal g. oxymoron8. antithesis h. cohort9. plunder i. ineradicable10. lyrical j. aperture


1. psyche a. SYEkee b. syke2. harass a. HARus b. haRAS3. ascertain a. asSURtun b. asurTAYN4. antiquity a. ANtyekwitee b. anTIKwuhtee5. calumny a. kuhLUMnee b. KALumnee6. placebo a. PLAYSboh b. pluhSEEboh7. panegyric a. paniJIRik b. paynGYErik8. balm a. bahlm b. bawm9. melee a. MAYlay b. MEElee10. cordial a. KAWRjul b. KAWRdeeul

FinalExamDrill#47:ANTONYMSFor each question below, match the word on the left with the word most similar inmeaningontheright.

1. pallid a. derelict2. bestow b. melancholy3. ostracize c. infringe4. arrears d. blanched5. accentuate e. confer6. assess f. bandy7. banter g. aggrandize8. breach h. rebuff9. rueful i. assay10. amass j. underscore


1.a. presentiment b. forebode c. evince2.a. puritanical b. moratorium c. adjourn3.a. doldrums b. raucous c. stupor4.a. marginal b. apex c. zenith5.a. chaste b. reprobate c. lascivious6.a. diurnal b. quotidian c. singular7.a. commodious b. contumely c. capacious8.a. privation b. odious c. anathema9.a. blanch b. pallor c. mire10.a. chaff b. wane c. dross


1. inculcate a. causingresentment2. denote b. mournfulpoem3. suffice c. besufficient4. ecosystem d. instill5. referendum e. organismsandtheirenvironment6. affidavit f. harmfulaction7. elegy g. signify

8. titular h. innameonly9. disservice i. publicvote10. invidious j. swornwrittenstatement


1. reassess a. phlegmatic2. defile b. precocious3. importune c. meditate4. rout d. supplicate5. vanquish e. decree6. stolid f. fiasco7. electorate g. surmount8. cogitate h. constituency9. shrewd i. debase10. ordinance j. reappraise


1. alchemy a. envy2. contretemps b. embarrassingoccurrence3. forebode c. beanomenof4. apostasy d. withsuspicion5. impoverish e. humorousmisuseofaword6. punitive f. abandonmentoffaith7. askance g. reducetopoverty8. malapropism h. seeminglymagicaltransformation9. habituate i. accustomtoasituation10. begrudge j. inflictingapunishment


1. infrastructure a. savant2. baroque b. spectrum3. pundit c. underpinning

4. entailment d. underwrite5. subsidize e. corollary6. shackle f. appellation7. gamut g. meander8. pseudonym h. convoluted9. peregrinate i. impetuous10. fickle j. impede


1. obtrusive a. severeshock2. overture b. interfering3. trauma c. rawmaterial4. fodder d. humorous5. concoct e. collectionofanimals6. aggrieve f. createbymixingingredients7. menagerie g. openingmove8. droll h. mistreat9. motley i. extremelyvaried10. congeal j. solidify


1. importune a. imPAWRtoon b. impawrTOON2. ratiocination a. rasheeohsuhNAYshun b. raysheeohsinayshun3. bravado a. bruhVAHdoh b. BRAYvadoh4. savant a. SAVunt b. suhVAHNT5. sophomoric a. sahfMAWRik b. sahfuhMAWRik6. schematic a. skuhMATik b. skeeMATik7. inculcate a. INkulkayt b. inKULkayt8. vivacity a. viVASitee b. vyeVASuhtee9. stipend a. STYEpund b. STIPund10. byzantine a. BYEzanteen b. BIZunteen


1. dolt a. phantom2. antiquity b. transfix3. rivet c. bemoaning4. odyssey d. rapture5. disgruntled e. delectable6. nirvana f. pilgrimage7. voluptuous g. quotidian8. diurnal h. posterity9. wraith i. lavish10. palatable j. buffoon


1.a. modulate b. influx c. teem2.a. cabal b. junta c. motley3.a. altercation b. melee c. bombast4.a. draconian b. insouciant c. astringent5.a. fiasco b. excise c. disarray6.a. conspicuous b. meticulous c. punctilious7.a. entreat b. imbue c. importune8.a. affront b. attribute c. ascribe9.a. incarnation b. corporeal c. vagary10.a. assail b. barrage c. cloister


1. deity a. ignorant2. figment b. seatofgovernment3. zeitgeist c. spacious4. commodious d. somethingmadeup5. fulminate e. godorgoddess6. benighted f. insignificant7. adlib g. spiritofthetimes8. marginal h. denouncevigorously9. capital i. personwithwhomsecretsareshared10. confidant j. improvise


1. preponderant a. incursion2. mores b. depredation3. extortion c. brusque4. clout d. dispirited5. churl e. ethics6. foray f. dominant7. callous g. curmudgeon8. appurtenance h. appendage9. downcast i. impecunious10. impoverished j. prowess


1. barrage a. beginner2. neophyte b. accumulate3. medium c. highlysignificant4. accrue d. meansbywhichsomethingisconveyed5. cant e. falseinformationpurposelydisseminated6. specious f. cautious7. guise g. deceptive8. wary h. outpouringofartilleryfire9. disinformation i. appearance10. pregnant j. insincerespeech


1. annexation a. cache2. empathy b. pontificating3. allot c. osmosis4. dire d. bromide5. adage e. disclaim6. ratify f. crest7. asylum g. apportion

8. sententious h. solace9. apogee i. warrant10. demur j. grievous


1. forte a. forTAY b. fawrt2. vagaries a. vuhGAReez b. VAYguhreez3. repartee a. repurTAY b. repurTEE4. apostasy a. uhPAHStuhsee b. APohstaysee5. epochal a. EPuhkul b. uhPAHKul6. dolorous a. duhLAWRus b. DOHlurus7. heinous a. HEEnis b. HAYnus8. jocose a. JOHkohs b. johKOHS9. feign a. feegun b. fayn10. obeisance a. OHBisuns b. ohBAYsuns


1. fathom a. livid2. proclaim b. underscore3. compliant c. pummel4. surreal d. ominous5. baleful e. arrant6. cavalier f. pliable7. assail g. paranormal8. heinous h. competent9. bristling i. nonchalant10. effectual j. delve


1. edifice a. sailallthewayaround2. redress b. mutualrelation3. circumnavigate c. protection

4. auspices d. cling5. cleave e. remedy6. conservatory f. havingtodowithmarriage7. efficacy g. big,imposingbuilding8. conjugal h. exterminationofaraceorreligionorpeople9. genocide i. effectiveness10. correlation j. greenhouseormusicschool


1.a. derelict b. depredate c. delinquent2.a. loath b. aversion c. rarefied3.a. vivacious b. objective c. dispassionate4.a. impecunious b. arrears c. vacuous5.a. opprobrious b. marginal c. denounce6.a. verdant b. meander c. peregrination7.a. infrastructure b. expostulate c. underpinning8.a. subterfuge b. pontificate c. sententious9.a. dissemble b. ebb c. feign10.a. degrade b. defile c. devout


1. suffuse a. subterfuge2. intrigue b. disperse3. contempt c. gaffe4. impeach d. brink5. discomfit e. wrath6. sally f. disconcert7. abomination g. indict8. threshold h. scorn9. folly i. lax10. cursory j. reprisal


1. bonafide a. demonstrateconvincingly2. underpinning b. causetospreadout3. evince c. judge4. emissary d. humansoulormind5. deem e. eject6. diffuse f. thickandsticky7. karma g. goodorbademanations8. viscous h. sincere9. psyche i. systemofsupportsbeneath10. oust j. messengerorrepresentative


1. compilation a. incarnate2. astringent b. edict3. fiat c. expiate4. quandary d. depict5. specter e. anthology6. pandemic f. draconian7. corporeal g. predicament8. atone h. veneer9. patina i. rampant10. render j. phantasm


1. reprobate a. REPruhbayt b. reePROHbayt2. depredation a. duhprayDAYshun b. depruhDAYshun3. prophesy a. PRAHFuhsye b. PRAHFuhsee4. cardinal a. KAHRduhnul b. KAHRDnul5. deity a. DAYuhtee b. DEEuhtee6. chutzpah a. CHUTZpuh b. HUTspuh7. dissemble a. diSEMbul b. disuhSEMbul8. fiat a. FEEut b. FYEut9. prelude a. PRELyood b. PRAYlood10. tryst a. trist b. tryst


1. oligarchy a. dissemble2. florid b. triumvirate3. feign c. substantiate4. document d. intricate5. usurious e. implication6. stipend f. bacchanal7. prescience g. exorbitant8. gastronomy h. remuneration9. licentious i. presentiment10. innuendo j. cuisine


1. chortle a. short,literarysketch2. cherub b. hint3. vignette c. fullofdifficulties4. access d. intruder5. omniscient e. chucklewithglee6. intimate f. accidental7. interloper g. brazenness8. chutzpah h. supercutechild9. adventitious i. righttoapproach10. thorny j. all-knowing


1. ostracism a. tactic2. brawn b. intermittent3. bluster c. bombast4. idiom d. jargon5. interspersed e. omnivorous6. voracious f. infuse7. imbue g. hypertrophy

8. schism h. dichotomy9. embodiment i. effigy10. connivance j. seclusion


1. epilogue a. pertainingtotime2. modulate b. afterword3. temporal c. reduceorregulate4. cartography d. command5. behest e. havingtodowiththechurch6. ecclesiastical f. highlychangeableperson7. callous g. insensitive8. bonvivant h. artofmakingmaps9. chameleon i. onewholivesluxuriously10. travesty j. grotesqueimitation

CHAPTER12

TheAnswers

Warm-UpTest#1Alltheanswersarea.Sorryaboutthat.

Warm-UpTest#2a1. b2. a3. h4. c5. d6. e7. f8. j9. i10. g

Warm-UpTest#2b1. b2. h3. d4. a5. c6. g7. j8. i9. e10. f

Warm-UpTest#2c1. f2. c3. i4. d5. a6. e7. h8. b9. j10. g

Warm-UpTest#2d1. b2. i3. g4. h5. a6. j7. c8. d9. e10. f

Warm-UpTest#31. arrant2. averse3. cache4. canon

5. canvass6. careen7. rationale8. confidant9. corporeal10. demur11. dissemble12. systemic13. importune14. climatic15. epoch

Warm-UpTest#41. wakes2.mode3. patina4. revel5. atone6. arid7. waive8. stout9.mania10. taint11. karma12. stint13. avid14. dire15. dolt16. abet17. allot

18. arcade19. balm20. scorn21. louts22. loathe23. apt24. junta25. spate26. rife27. slake

QuickQuiz#11.h abase—humiliate2.a abet—support3.c abeyance—suspension4.i abjure—repudiate5.g abomination—somethingdespised6.b aboriginal—native7.d abound—beverynumerous8.e abrogate—abolish9.f accede—givein10.j accentuate—emphasize

QuickQuiz#21.h access—righttoapproach2.c acclaim—praisepublicly3.d accord—agree4.f accouterments—trappings5.a accrue—accumulate6.j acquisitive—greedy

7.e acquit—findnotguilty8.b acronym—wordmadeupofinitials9.i adage—proverb10.g adduce—cite

QuickQuiz#31.f adjourn—suspend2.j adjunct—somethingadded3.i adlib—improvise4.d advent—arrival5.b adventitious—accidental6.a advocate—personarguingforaposition7.g affidavit—swornwrittenstatement8.c affiliate—becomecloselyassociated9.e affliction—misery10.h afford—give

QuickQuiz#41.j affront—insult2.a aftermath—consequence3.i aggrandize—exaggerate4.b aggrieve—mistreat5.e aghast—terrified6.f alchemy—seeminglymagicaltransformation7.c alienate—estrange8.g allegiance—loyalty9.h allegory—symbolicstory10.d allot—apportion

QuickQuiz#5

1.e altercation—heatedfight2.h amass—pileup3.c amid—inthemiddleof4.a anathema—somethingloathed5.f ancillary—subordinate6.i angst—anxiety7.b annex—add8.d annuity—annualallowance9.j antedate—beolder10.g anterior—situatedinfront

QuickQuiz#61.i anthology—literarycollection2.e anthropomorphic—ascribinghumancharacteristics3.c antipodal—exactlyopposite4.h antiquity—ancientness5.b aperture—opening6.f apex—highestpoint7.j apogee—mostdistantpointoforbit8.g apoplexy—stroke9.d apostasy—abandonmentoffaith10.a appalling—causinghorror

QuickQuiz#71.c apparition—ghost2.g appellation—name3.a appendage—somethingextra4.e apportion—distributeproportionally5.h appraise—estimatethevalueof6.b apprise—givenoticeto

7.a appurtenance—somethingextra8.f apropos—appropriate9.i apposite—distinctlysuitable10.d apt—likely

QuickQuiz#81.i arcade—archedpassageway2.f archipelago—groupofislands3.a archives—wheredocumentsarestored4.g arid—verydry5.c armament—implementsofwar6.h armistice—truce7.e arraign—accuse8.b arrant—utter9.d arrears—unpaiddebts10.j arsenal—supplyofsomethinguseful

QuickQuiz#91.f articulate—pronounceclearly2.a artisan—personskilledinacraft3.j ascertain—determinewithcertainty4.c ascribe—creditto5.g askance—withsuspicion6.b aspersion—slanderousremark7.i assail—attackvigorously8.d assert—claimstrongly9.h assess—evaluate10.e astringent—harsh

QuickQuiz#10

1.a asylum—refuge2.e atone—makeamends3.h atrophy—witheraway4.c attest—giveproofof5.f attribute—creditto6.n augur—serveasanomen7.i august—inspiringawe8.m auspices—protection9.k auxiliary—secondary10.g avail—help11.j avant-garde—vanguard12.b aversion—strongfeelingofdislike13.d avert—turnaway14.l avid—eager

QuickQuiz#111.g bacchanal—partyanimal2.b baleful—menacing3.i balk—abruptlyrefuse4.d ballyhoo—sensationaladvertising5.j balm—somethingthatheals6.c bandy—tossbackandforth7.f banter—exchangeofteasingremarks8.a baroque—extravagantlyornate9.e barrage—outpouringofartilleryfire10.h bauble—gaudytrinket

QuickQuiz#121.c bedlam—noisyuproar2.f begrudge—envy

3.b behest—command4.j bemoan—mournabout5.a benediction—blessing6.d benighted—ignorant7.e bestow—presentasagift8.g bilious—ill-tempered9.i bivouac—temporaryencampment10.h blanch—turnpale

QuickQuiz#131.c bland—mild2.e blandishment—flattery3.g bliss—perfectcontentment4.i bluster—roar5.a bombast—pompousspeech6.b bonvivant—onewholivesluxuriously7.h bonafide—sincere8.j boon—blessing9.f boor—rudeperson10.d booty—plunder

QuickQuiz#141.f botch—bungle2.c bracing—invigorating3.i brandish—displaythreateningly4.a bravado—ostentatiousshowofbravery5.o brawn—bigmuscles6.m brazen—impudent7.j breach—violation8.l brink—edge

9.b bristle—stiffenwithanger10.g bromide—dullsaying11.n brouhaha—uproar12.k brusque—abruptinmanner13.h buffoon—joker14.d bulwark—defensivefortification15.e byzantine—extremelyintricateinstructure

QuickQuiz#151.h cabal—groupofconspirators2.c cache—hidingplace3.j calamity—disaster4.i callous—insensitive5.a calumny—slander6.b canon—ruleorlaw7.f cant—hypocriticalspeech8.d canvass—seekvotesoropinions9.g capacious—roomy10.e capital—seatofgovernment

QuickQuiz#161.e captivate—fascinate2.j carcinogenic—causingcancer3.g cardinal—mostimportant4.b careen—swerve5.h cartography—artofmakingmaps6.d cascade—waterfall7.a cataclysm—violentupheaval8.c caucus—politicalmeeting9.i cavalier—arrogant

10.f cavil—quibble

QuickQuiz#171.a chaff—worthlessstuff2.b chameleon—highlychangeableperson3.i champion—defend4.g channel—direct5.d chaste—pureandunadorned6.f cherub—cutechild7.c chortle—chucklewithglee8.j churl—rudeperson9.h chutzpah—brazenness10.e cipher—zero

QuickQuiz#181.d circumnavigate—sailallthewayaround2.g citadel—fortressdefendingacity3.f clandestine—secret4.i classic—top-notch5.c cleave—cling6.a climatic—havingtodowiththeclimate7.e cloister—coveredwalk8.h clone—exactduplicate9.b clout—blow10.j cloy—causetofeeltoofull

QuickQuiz#191.f coddle—baby2.d cogitate—ponder3.h cohort—group

4.b commemorate—honorthememoryof5.j commiserate—expresssorrowfor6.a commodious—spacious7.c compatible—harmonious8.e competent—capable9.g compile—gathertogether10.i comply—actinaccordance

QuickQuiz#201.h composed—calm2.d compromise—settlementofdifferences3.j compunction—remorse4.g concave—curvedinward5.c concentric—havingthesamecenter6.f concert—combinedaction7.b concede—acknowledgeastrue8.i concoct—createbymixingingredients9.e concomitant—followingfrom10.a confederate—ally

QuickQuiz#211.h confer—exchangeideas2.f confidant—personwithwhomsecretsareshared3.d configuration—arrangement4.e conflagration—largefire5.j confluence—flowingtogether6.i confound—bewilder7.a congeal—solidify8.b conjugal—havingtodowithmarriage9.g connive—conspire

10.c conservatory—greenhouse

QuickQuiz#221.d consign—handover2.a consolidate—combine3.j conspicuous—easilyseen4.h consternation—suddenconfusion5.e constituency—groupofvoters6.g contempt—disdain7.c continuum—continuouswhole8.f contraband—smuggledgoods9.b contretemps—embarrassingoccurrence10.i contumely—rudeness

QuickQuiz#231.b conundrum—puzzle2.i convene—gathertogether3.c conversant—familiar4.h converse—opposite5.e convey—transport6.f conviction—strongbelief7.a convolution—twistorturn8.j copious—abundant9.g cordial—gracious10.d corollary—naturalconsequence

QuickQuiz#241.e corporeal—tangible2.c correlation—mutualrelation3.a corrosive—destructive

4.i corrugated—shapedwithfolds5.h coterie—groupofcloseassociates6.j cower—huddleinfear7.g crass—extremelyunrefined8.b craven—cowardly9.d crescendo—gradualincreaseinvolume10.f crestfallen—dejected

QuickQuiz#251.g crevice—narrowsplit2.e cringe—shrinkbackwithfear3.c critique—criticalreview4.f crux—centralpoint5.d cuisine—styleofcooking6.b cull—pickoutfromamongmany7.a curb—restrain8.i curmudgeon—difficult,bad-temperedperson9.h cursory—quickandunthorough

QuickQuiz#261.g debase—degrade2.d debunk—exposethenonsenseof3.c decree—officialorder4.j decry—denounce5.a deem—judge6.b deficit—shortage7.f defile—makefilthy8.e deft—skillful9.h defunct—nolongerineffect10.i degrade—lowerindignity

QuickQuiz#271.i deign—condescend2.c deity—godorgoddess3.f dejected—depressed4.a delectable—delightful5.j delinquent—neglectingaduty6.g delve—searchintensively7.h demeanor—behavior8.b demise—death9.e demography—studyofpopulationcharacteristics10.d demur—takeexception

QuickQuiz#281.i demure—shy2.d denomination—classification3.g denote—signify4.b denounce—condemn5.f depict—portray6.a deplete—decreasethesupplyof7.j deplore—lament8.c deploy—arrangestrategically9.h depose—removefromoffice10.e depredate—preyupon

QuickQuiz#291.i derelict—neglectful2.c desist—stopdoing3.f devout—deeplyreligious4.j diatribe—bitterdenunciation

5.a dichotomy—divisionintotwoparts6.b diffuse—causetospreadout7.h dilapidated—broken-down8.g dilate—makelarger9.e dilemma—predicament10.d diminution—reduction

QuickQuiz#301.j dire—disastrous2.g dirge—funeralsong3.b disaffect—causetoloseaffection4.e disarray—disorder5.a disclaim—renounce6.d discomfit—frustrate7.c disconcert—perturb8.i discourse—conversation9.f discrepancy—difference10.h discursive—aimlesslyrambling

QuickQuiz#311.h disgruntle—makesulky2.e disinformation—falseinformationpurposelydisseminated3.c dismal—dreary4.i dismay—fillwithdread5.b dispassionate—impartial6.a disperse—scatter7.d dispirit—discourage8.f disposition—characteristicattitude9.g disproportionate—outofproportion10.j disquiet—makeuneasy

QuickQuiz#321.c dissemble—concealtherealnatureof2.a dissent—disagree3.i disservice—harmfulaction4.e dissident—personwhodisagrees5.g dissuade—persuadenotto6.j distinct—separate7.h diurnal—occurringeveryday8.f divine—intuit9.d divulge—reveal10.b document—supportwithevidence

QuickQuiz#331.k doldrums—lowspirits2.j doleful—sorrowful3.e dolt—stupidperson4.c dotage—senility5.d doubleentendre—doublemeaning6.a dour—forbidding7.l downcast—dejected8.i downplay—minimize9.f draconian—harsh10.b droll—humorous11.g dross—worthlessstuff12.h duress—coercion

QuickQuiz#341.i ebb—diminish2.c ecclesiastical—havingtodowiththechurch

3.f eclipse—surpass4.j ecosystem—organismsandtheirenvironment5.a edict—officialdecree6.d edifice—big,imposingbuilding7.g effectual—effective8.h efficacy—effectiveness9.e effigy—likenessofsomeone10.b elation—feelingofgreatjoy

QuickQuiz#351.b electorate—bodyofvoters2.f elegy—mournfulpoem3.h elite—mostselectgroup4.a elocution—artofpublicspeaking5.i emaciate—makeextremelythin6.j emanate—comeforth7.g emancipate—liberate8.c embargo—governmentordersuspendingtrade9.d embellish—adorn10.e embody—personify

QuickQuiz#361.d embroil—involveinconflict2.g embryonic—undeveloped3.b emissary—messengerorrepresentative4.e empathy—identificationwithfeelings5.h empower—giveauthority6.c endear—makedear7.a engaging—charming8.j enmity—deephatred

9.f ennui—boredom10.i ensue—followimmediatelyafterward

QuickQuiz#371.i entail—haveasanecessaryconsequence2.e entity—somethingthatexists3.g entreat—plead4.c entrepreneur—independentbusinessperson5.j enumerate—nameonebyone6.d envision—imagine7.f epicure—personwithrefinedtaste8.h epilogue—afterword9.b epoch—era10.a equestrian—havingtodowithhorsebackriding

QuickQuiz#381.j estimable—worthyofadmiration2.i estrange—makehostile3.h ethics—moralstandards4.d eulogy—spokenorwrittentribute5.g evince—demonstrateconvincingly6.a evoke—summonforth7.b excise—removebycutting8.c exempt—excused9.e exhume—unbury10.f exodus—massdeparture

QuickQuiz#391.a exorbitant—excessivelycostly2.c expiate—makeamendsfor

3.e explicate—makeadetailedexplanationof4.g exposition—explanation5.i expostulate—reasoninordertodissuade6.k expunge—erase7.j exquisite—extraordinarilyfine8.h extant—stillinexistence9.f extort—obtainthroughforce10.d extremity—outermostpoint11.b exuberant—highlyjoyous

QuickQuiz#401.e facade—frontofabuilding2.k facet—aspect3.h fallacy—misconception4.i fathom—penetratethemeaningof5.l faux—false6.b fawn—exhibitaffection7.d feign—makeafalserepresentationof8.f fester—decay9.a fetish—objectofobsessivereverence10.c fiasco—completefailure11.g fiat—arbitrarydecree12.j fickle—likelytochangefornogoodreason

QuickQuiz#411.c figment—somethingmadeup2.f fiscal—monetary3.b fledgling—inexperienced4.i flippant—frivolouslydisrespectful5.g florid—flushed

6.d fodder—rawmaterial7.a folly—foolishness8.e foray—quickraid9.h forebode—beanomenof10.j foreclose—shutout

QuickQuiz#421.a forensic—usedincourtsoflaw2.d forestall—thwart3.g forswear—retract4.c forte—specialtalent5.b forthright—outspoken6.f foster—encourage7.j fragmentary—incomplete8.h fruitful—productive9.e fuel—stimulate10.i fulminate—denouncevigorously

QuickQuiz#431.e gaffe—socialblunder2.c galvanize—startleintosuddenactivity3.h gambit—schemetogainanadvantage4.a gamut—fullrange5.b garner—gather6.d gastronomy—artofeatingwell7.i generic—common8.g genesis—origin9.f genocide—exterminationofanational,racial,orreligiousgroup10.j germane—applicable

QuickQuiz#441.b ghastly—shockinglyhorrible2.a gratis—freeofcharge3.d grievous—tragic4.c grimace—makeanuglyface5.e guise—appearance

QuickQuiz#451.i habituate—accustomtoasituation2.b halcyon—peaceful3.f harass—attackrepeatedly4.k harbinger—precursor5.h harp—repeattediously6.f harry—attackrepeatedly7.j heinous—shockinglyevil8.c herald—royalproclaimer9.e hoary—grayorwhitewithage10.g homage—reverence11.a hubris—arrogance12.d hypocrisy—insincerity

QuickQuiz#461.c idiom—nonliteralexpression2.f imbue—inspire3.i impasse—deadlock4.a impeach—accuse5.e impecunious—withoutmoney6.d impede—obstruct7.b impending—approaching

8.j impenetrable—impervious9.h imperative—completelynecessary10.g impetuous—rash

QuickQuiz#471.d implication—somethingsuggested2.b importune—urgewithannoyingpersistence3.i impoverish—reducetopoverty4.f impregnable—unconquerable5.c impresario—personwhomanagespublicentertainments6.g impromptu—doneonthespurofthemoment7.j improvise—performwithoutpreparation8.e impunity—freedomfrompunishment9.a inadvertent—unintentional10.h inalienable—unassailable

QuickQuiz#481.g incarnation—embodiment2.c incendiary—usedforsettingpropertyonfire3.f inclination—tendency4.b inculcate—instill5.d incumbent—currentlyholdingoffice6.a incursion—hostileinvasion7.e indict—chargewithacrime8.h induce—persuade9.j ineluctable—inescapable10.i ineradicable—incapableofbeingremoved

QuickQuiz#491.c inflammatory—tendingtoarousepassionoranger

2.g influx—inflow3.d infraction—violation4.a infrastructure—basicframeworkofasystem5.b infringe—violate6.i infuse—introduceinto7.h ingratiate—worktomakeyourselfliked8.f inimical—harmful9.j inimitable—impossibletoimitate10.e innuendo—insinuation

QuickQuiz#501.h inquisition—ruthlessquestioning2.a insouciant—nonchalant3.b insufferable—unbearable4.c insuperable—unabletoovercome5.d insurrection—actofopenrebellion6.i integral—essential7.g interim—meantime8.e interloper—intruder9.j interlude—interveningepisode10.f interminable—seeminglyunending

QuickQuiz#511.g intermittent—occasional2.i intersperse—placeatintervals3.f intervene—comebetweenopposinggroups4.e intimate—hint5.d intricate—complicated6.a intrigue—secretscheme7.h invidious—causingresentment

8.j inviolate—freefrominjury9.c invoke—prayfor10.b iridescent—displayingglowing,changingcolors

QuickQuiz#521.b jargon—specializedlanguage2.g jaunt—shortpleasuretrip3.d jingoism—belligerentpatriotism4.a jocular—humorous5.f jubilation—exultantjoy6.h junction—convergence7.e junta—smallrulinggroup8.c karma—goodorbademanations

QuickQuiz#531.b larceny—theft2.f lascivious—lewd3.e lavish—tospendfreely4.a lax—negligent5.d layman—nonprofessional6.c liaison—connection7.f licentious—lewd8.h limpid—transparent9.i listless—sluggish10.g litany—tediousrecounting

QuickQuiz#541.c livid—blackandblue2.a loath—extremelyunwilling3.f lobby—urgelegislativeaction

4.d lout—oaf5.b ludicrous—ridiculous6.e lyrical—melodious

QuickQuiz#551.b malapropism—humorousmisuseofaword2.e mania—crazedexcitement3.g marginal—insignificant4.d materialistic—preoccupiedwithmaterialthings5.h mawkish—overlysentimental6.a meander—travelalongawindingroute7.c medium—themeansbywhichsomethingisconveyed8.f melancholy—gloomy9.j melee—brawl10.i menagerie—collectionofanimals

QuickQuiz#561.g meticulous—preciseandcarefulaboutdetails2.e millennium—periodofonethousandyears3.j mire—marshy,muckyground4.a mode—methodofdoing5.b modulate—reduceorregulate6.d momentum—forceofmovement7.m moratorium—suspensionofactivity8.i mores—customarymoralstandards9.f motif—recurringtheme10.c motley—extremelyvaried11.n municipal—pertainingtoacityortown12.l muse—ponder13.k muster—assembleforbattle

14.h mystic—otherworldy

QuickQuiz#571.b nebulous—vague2.e nemesis—downfall3.h neophyte—beginner4.c nirvana—blissful,worry-freestate5.i noisome—offensiveordisgusting6.a nomadic—wanderingfromplacetoplace7.d nomenclature—systemofnames8.g nonchalant—indifferent9.f nullify—repeal

QuickQuiz#581.e obeisance—deepreverence2.b objective—unbiased3.g obtrusive—interfering4.a obviate—makeunnecessary5.j occult—supernatural6.i odious—hateful7.h odyssey—long,difficultjourney8.c olfactory—pertainingtothesenseofsmell9.f oligarchy—governmentbyonlyaveryfewpeople10.d ominous—threatening

QuickQuiz#591.h omniscient—all-knowing2.d opprobrious—damning3.f ordinance—law4.b oscillate—swingbackandforth

5.e osmosis—gradualorsubtleabsorption6.a ostracize—excludefromagroup7.c oust—eject8.j override—prevailover9.i overture—openingmove10.g oxymoron—figureofspeechlinkingtwocontradictorywordsorphrases

QuickQuiz#601.b palatable—pleasanttothetaste2.g pallor—paleness3.d pandemic—prevalentthroughoutalargearea4.j panegyric—elaboratepraise5.e parable—moralitytale6.a paragon—modelofexcellence7.i parallel—similar8.h paranoia—unreasonableanxiety9.c paranormal—supernatural10.f paroxysm—sudden,violentoutburst

QuickQuiz#611.b partition—division2.c pastoral—rural3.h pathos—thatwhichmakespeoplefeelpityorsorry4.f patina—surfacediscoloration5.j patrimony—inheritance6.i peculiar—unusual7.g peregrination—wandering8.d perpetrator—theonewhocommittedtheact9.a perpetuate—keepfromperishing10.e perverse—stubborn

QuickQuiz#621.i phantasm—apparition2.e phlegmatic—calmorindifferent3.d pilgrimage—religiousjourney4.a placebo—fakemedication5.b platonic—nonsexual6.g plausible—believable7.f pliable—flexible8.h plight—dangeroussituation9.j plunder—ransack10.c pluralism—coexistenceofdistinctgroups

QuickQuiz#631.g pontificate—speakpompously2.d porous—filledwithmanytinyholes3.b posterity—futuregenerations4.a posthumous—occurringafterone’sdeath5.i posture—speakartificially6.f prattle—chatteronandon7.e precarious—dangerouslyinsecure8.c precocious—unusuallymature9.j predecessor—somethingthatprecedesintime10.h predicament—dangeroussituation

QuickQuiz#641.f predispose—makesusceptible2.c predominant—mostimportant3.h pregnant—highlysignificant4.e prelude—introduction

5.g premeditated—plannedbeforehand6.a preponderance—majority7.b presage—portend8.d presentiment—feelingthatsomethingisabouttohappen9.j presumably—probably10.i presuppose—assumebeforehand

QuickQuiz#651.c primal—original2.h pristine—perfectlycleananduntouched3.e privation—lackofcomforts4.f proclaim—announce5.j procure—obtainbyspecialmeans6.i progeny—offspring7.a propagate—reproduce8.b propound—setforth9.d protégé—personunderthecareofsomeone10.g protocol—diplomaticetiquette

QuickQuiz#661.d provocation—incitement2.g prowess—exceptionalskillorstrength3.b prurient—havinglustfulthoughtsordesires4.a pseudonym—falsename5.k psyche—humansoulormind6.h pummel—poundwithfists7.j punctilious—meticulouslyattentivetodetail8.i pundit—learnedperson9.l pungent—sharp-tasting10.f punitive—inflictingapunishment

11.c purblind—dim-sighted12.e puritanical—verysevereaboutmorals

QuickQuiz#671.a quaint—pleasantlyold-fashioned2.h quandary—stateofperplexity3.j quasi—almost4.f quay—alandingontheedgeofthewater5.e quell—putanendto6.b query—question7.k queue—line8.c quiescent—motionless9.d quintessential—beingthemostperfectexampleof10.g quizzical—teasing11.i quotidian—daily

QuickQuiz#681.e rampant—widespread2.c rapture—ecstasy3.g rarefied—esoteric4.a ratify—confirm5.b ratiocination—logicalreasoning6.h rationale—underlyingreason7.f raucous—stridentlyloud8.d reactionary—ultraconservative9.i rebuff—snub10.j recidivism—actofrepeatinganoffense

QuickQuiz#691.d reclaim—makefitforcultivation

2.h redeem—buyback3.a redress—remedy4.c referendum—publicvote5.b refractory—disobedient6.j regime—governingpower7.f regimen—regulatedcourse8.e remission—disappearanceofadisease9.g remuneration—payment10.i rend—rip

QuickQuiz#701.f render—causetobe2.c repartee—quick,wittyreply3.b replicate—reproduceexactly4.j repose—tranquillity5.h repress—holdback6.a reprimand—sternreproof7.e reprisal—retaliation8.d reprobate—depraved,wickedperson9.g repugnant—repulsive10.i resignation—passivesubmission

QuickQuiz#711.c resplendent—brilliantlyshining2.k resurrection—returntolife3.i retort—makeasharpreply4.f retrospect—lookingbackward5.e revamp—revise6.a revel—enjoythoroughly7.b revile—scoldabusively

8.n revulsion—loathing9.m rhapsodize—speakextremelyenthusiastically10.l ribald—indecent11.d rife—occurringfrequently12.g rivet—engross13.j rout—puttoflight14.h rue—mourn

QuickQuiz#721.c sally—suddenrushingattack2.h salutation—greeting3.g sanction—officialpermissionorapproval4.a sarcasm—bitingirony5.b savant—scholar6.j scant—limited7.i schism—division8.f scorn—disdain9.e seamless—smooth10.d secede—withdrawfromanalliance

QuickQuiz#731.i seclusion—aloneness2.g sect—smallreligioussubgroup3.e sedentary—largelyconfinedtosittingdown4.f self-made—havingsucceededwithouthelpfromothers5.c sententious—preachy6.d serene—calm7.b serpentine—snakelike8.h shackle—manacle9.j shibboleth—catchword

10.a shrewd—wily

QuickQuiz#741.e singular—exceptional2.c skirmish—fightbetweensmallnumbersoftroops3.g skittish—nervous4.d slake—quench5.a solace—consolation6.h solidarity—senseofunity7.f sophomoric—juvenile8.j sordid—morallyvile9.i sovereign—supremeruler10.b spate—suddenoutpouring

QuickQuiz#751.h specious—deceptive2.e specter—phantom3.i spectrum—broadsequence4.b spurn—reject5.c stalwart—robust6.f stark—desolate7.d stint—restrict8.j stipend—allowance9.g stolid—noteasilyrousedtoemotion10.a stout—stocky

QuickQuiz#761.d stratagem—maneuverdesignedtooutwitanenemy2.f stupendous—remarkable3.b stupor—stunnedcondition

4.g subside—sink5.h subsidiary—supplemental6.e subsidize—providefinancialaid7.a substantiate—prove8.c subterfuge—artifice9.i suffice—besufficient10.j suffrage—righttovote

QuickQuiz#771.d suffuse—overspread2.h sumptuous—luxurious3.f supersede—taketheplaceof4.c supine—lyingontheback5.a supplication—humbleprayer6.b suppress—overpower7.k surmise—conjecture8.i surreal—hallucinatory9.l susceptible—capableofbeinginfluenced10.g sweeping—far-reaching11.e syntax—grammar12.j systemic—affectingtheentiresystem

QuickQuiz#781.c tactical—havingtodowithtactics2.h taint—contaminant3.d tedium—dullness4.g teem—swarm5.a temporal—pertainingtotime6.b temporize—stall7.j tepid—lukewarm

8.i thesis—theorytobeproven9.e thorny—fullofdifficulties10.f threshold—sillofadoorway

QuickQuiz#791.c throttle—choke2.b thwart—preventfrombeingaccomplished3.g timorous—fearful4.f titillate—excite5.e titular—innameonly6.j toil—hardwork7.h tortuous—winding8.d toxic—poisonous9.i transfix—causetostandmotionless10.a trauma—severeshock

QuickQuiz#801.f travesty—grotesqueimitation2.d trenchant—concise3.b triumvirate—rulingcoalitionofthree4.a tryst—secretmeetingoflovers5.e tumult—violent,noisycommotion6.c turbid—murky7.g turmoil—stateofgreatconfusion

QuickQuiz#811.f uncanny—extraordinary2.c underlying—basic3.d undermine—impair4.a underpinning—systemofsupportsbeneath

5.h underscore—underline6.e underwrite—sponsor7.b unilateral—involvingonesideonly8.g usury—lendingmoneyatextremelyhighrates

QuickQuiz#821.g vacuous—emptyofcontent2.a vagary—whim3.c vanquish—conquer4.f veneer—facade5.e verdant—coveredwithgreenplants6.b verge—border7.h verity—qualityofbeingtrue8.d vie—compete9.i vigilant—constantlyalert10.j vignette—shortliterarysketch

QuickQuiz#831.f viscous—thick2.e vivacious—lively3.d vogue—fashion4.c voluminous—large5.b voluptuous—pleasanttothesenses6.a voracious—havingahugeappetite

QuickQuiz#841.d waft—float2.k waive—relinquish3.i wake—all-nightvigil4.j wane—decreaseinstrength

5.a warrant—justify6.b wary—cautious7.f wizened—shriveled8.e woe—suffering9.c wrath—deepanger10.g zeitgeist—spiritofthetimes11.h zenith—highestpoint

FinalExamDrill#11. e2. c3. g4. a5. d6. f7. h8. j9. b10. i

FinalExamDrill#21. d2. e3. f4. j5. g6. h7. b8. a9. c10. i

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4. h5. f6. i7. j8. g9. a10. d

FinalExamDrill#41. j2. g3. f4. e5. i6. c7. d8. b9. h10. a

FinalExamDrill#51. b2. b3. b4. b5. b(aisalsoacceptable)6. b7. eitherisacceptable8. a9. a

10. b

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FinalExamDrill#71. f2. b3. i4. h5. d6. j7. e8. g9. a10. c

FinalExamDrill#81. a2. a3. c

4. b5. c6. a7. b8. a9. b10. c

FinalExamDrill#91. a2. c3. g4. i5. f6. h7. d8. e9. j10. b

FinalExamDrill#101. j2. c3. g4. a5. f6. d7. e8. h9. b

10. i

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4. e5. g6. h7. i8. f9. c10. a

FinalExamDrill#141. e2. a3. f4. h5. i6. j7. c8. b9. g10. d

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10. e

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4. a5. b6. c7. j8. g9. f10. d

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10. f

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4. a5. d6. c7. h8. f9. j10. b

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10. h

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10. j

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FinalExamDrill#331. a2. b3. b

4. a5. b6. a7. b8. a9. a(bisalsoacceptable)10. a

FinalExamDrill#341. c2. h3. b4. e5. d6. a7. j8. g9. i10. f

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10. h

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4. i5. a6. j7. f8. b9. h10. e

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FinalExamDrill#401. c2. a3. a4. c5. b6. a7. b8. c9. a

10. b

FinalExamDrill#411. i2. a3. h4. e5. d6. b7. j8. c9. g10. f

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4. i5. h6. j7. d8. f9. e10. c

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FinalExamDrill#451. c2. d3. i4. e5. a6. j7. h8. g9. f

10. b

FinalExamDrill#461. a2. a(bismarginallyacceptable)3. b4. b5. b6. b7. a8. b9. a10. a

FinalExamDrill#471. d2. e3. h4. a5. j6. i7. f8. c9. b10. g

FinalExamDrill#481. c2. a3. b

4. a5. a6. c7. b8. a9. c10. b

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10. e

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10. e

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4. j5. g6. a7. c8. h9. d10. i

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FinalExamDrill#601. c2. h3. g4. j5. d6. i7. a8. b9. f

10. e

FinalExamDrill#611. b2. a3. b4. a5. a6. b7. b8. b9. b10. b

FinalExamDrill#621. j2. b3. f4. g5. d6. i7. c8. e9. a10. h

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4. c5. d6. j7. i8. f9. h10. b

FinalExamDrill#641. b2. c3. a4. c5. b6. a7. b8. a9. b10. c

FinalExamDrill#651. b2. a3. h4. g5. f6. j7. e8. d9. c

10. i

FinalExamDrill#661. h2. i3. a4. j5. c6. b7. g8. f9. d10. e

FinalExamDrill#671. e2. f3. b4. g5. j6. i7. a8. c9. h10. d

FinalExamDrill#681. a2. b3. a

4. b5. b6. b7. a8. b9. a10. a

FinalExamDrill#691. b2. d3. a4. c5. g6. h7. i8. j9. f10. e

FinalExamDrill#701. e2. h3. a4. i5. j6. b7. d8. g9. f

10. c

FinalExamDrill#711. j2. g3. c4. d5. b6. e7. f8. h9. i10. a

FinalExamDrill#721. b2. c3. a4. h5. d6. e7. g8. i9. f10. j

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