#47 iconoclast ~ imperial

Question 1

iconoclast

/aɪˈkɒnəˌklæst/

Answer 1

n. one who attacks popular beliefs or institutions
Iconoclast comes from Greek words meaning image breaker. The original iconoclasts were opponents of the use of icons, or sacred images, in certain Christian churches. Today the word is used to refer to someone who attacks popular figures and ideas - a person to whom “nothing is sacred.”
- The popular columnist was an inveterate iconoclast, avidly attacking public figures no matter what their party affiliations.
- To study and go to class is to be a iconoclast on that particular campus, which has a reputation for being the biggest party school in the country.
- Herbert’s iconoclastic views were not popular with the older members of the board.

Question 2

ideology

/ˌaɪdiˈɒlədʒi, ˌɪdi-/

Answer 2

n. a system of social or political ideas
Conservatism and liberalism are competing ideologies.
- The candidate never managed to communicate his ideology to the voters, so few people were able to grasp what he stood for.
- The senator’s tax proposal had more to do with ideology than with common sense; his plan, though consistent with his principles, was clearly impractical.
A dogmatic person attached to an ideology is an ideologue. An ideologue is doctrinaire.

Question 3

idiosyncrasy

/ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkrəsi, -ˈsɪn-/

Answer 3

n. a peculiarity; an eccentricity
- Eating green beans drenched in ketchup for breakfast was one of Jordana’s idiosyncrasies.
- The doctor’s interest was aroused by an idiosyncrasy in Bill’s scull: There seemed to be a coin slot in the back of his head.
A person who has an idiosyncrasy is said to be idiosyncratic.
- Tara’s driving was somewhat idiosyncratic; she sometimes seemed to prefer the sidewalk to the street.

Question 4

idyllic

/aɪˈdɪlɪk/

Answer 4

adj. charming in a rustic way; naturally peaceful
- They built their house on an idyllic spot. There was a babbling brook in back and an unbroken view of wooded hills in front.
- Our vacation in the country was idyllic; we went for long walks down winding dirt roads and didn’t watch television all week.
An idyllic time or place could also be called an idyll.

Question 5

ignominy

/ˈɪgnəˌmɪni, ɪgˈnɒməni/

Answer 5

n. deep disgrace
- After the big scandal, the formerly high-flying investment banker fell into a life of shame and ignominy.
- The ignominy of losing the spelling bee was too much for Arnold, who decided to give up spelling altogether.

Question 6

ignominious

/ˌɪgnəˈmɪniəs/

Answer 6

adj. deeply disgraceful

- Lola’s plagiarizing of Nabokov’s work was an ignominious act that hot her suspended fro school for two days.

Question 7

illicit

/ɪˈlɪsɪt/

Answer 7

adj. illegal; not permitted
Criminals engage in illicit activities
- The police interviewed hundreds of witnesses, trying to elicit clues that might help them stop an illicit business.

Question 8

immigrate

/ˈɪmɪˌgreɪt/

Answer 8

v. to move permanently to a new country
It’s easy to confuse this word with emigrate. To avoid this, just remember that emigrate means exit, and immigrate means come in.
- Edwin immigrated to Canada, thinking the move would give his two-year-old daughter a better shot at attending the University of Toronto preschool.
The noun form of the word is immigration.

Question 9

imminent

/ˈɪmənənt/

Answer 9

adj. just about to happen
- The pink glow in the east made it clear that sunrise was imminent.
- Patrice had a strange feeling that disaster was imminent, then the jumbo jet crashed into her garage.

Question 10

immutable

/ɪˈmyutəbəl/

Answer 10

adj. unchangeable
- Jerry’s mother had only one immutable rule: no dancing on the dinner table.
- The statue of the former principal looked down on the students with an immutable scowl.

Question 11

mutable

/ˈmyutəbəl/

Answer 11

adj. changeable
- The mutable shoreline shifted continually as the tides moved sand first in one direction and then in another.
- Sonrisa’s moods were mutable; one minute she was kind and gentle; the next minute she was screaming with anger.

Question 12

impartial

/ɪmˈpɑrʃəl/

Answer 12

adj. fair; not favoring one side or the other; unbiased
- Jurors are supposed to be impartial rather than partial; they aren’t supposed to make up their minds until they’ve heard all the evidence.
- Beverly tried to be an impartial judge at the beauty contest, but in the end she couldn’t help selecting her own daughter to be the new Honeybee Queen.
The noun is impartiality.

Question 13

impeccable

/ɪmˈpɛkəbəl/

Answer 13

adj. flawless; entirely without sin
- The children’s behavior was impeccable; they didn’t pour dye into the swimming pool.
- Hal’s clothes were always impeccable; even the wrinkles were perfectly creased.

Question 14

peccable

/ˈpɛkəbəl/

Answer 14

adj. liable to sin

Question 15

peccadillo

/ˌpɛkəˈdɪloʊ/

Answer 15

n. a minor sin

Question 16

imperial

/ɪmˈpɪəriəl/

Answer 16

adj. like an emperor or an empire
Imperial emperor, and empire are all derived from the same root.
England’s imperial days are over, now that the British Empire has broken apart.
- The palace was decorated with imperial splendor.
- George’s imperial manner was inappropriate since he was nothing more exalted than the local dogcatcher.

Question 17

imperious

/ɪmˈpɪəriəs/

Answer 17

adj. bossy and usually arrogant
- The director’s imperious style rubbed everyone the wrong way; he always seemed to be giving orders and he never listened to what anyone said.