After Session 4

Question 1

RUE

Answer 1

feel sorry for; be contrite about

To rue is to feel regret or remorse for something. If that position at the deli ended up involving a reality TV show that made everyone famous, you may rue the day you turned down the job.

(v) feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
(n) a bitter herb used medicinally

Question 2

DILATORY

Answer 2

wasting time

Memetic: extract late.. or dilly dally.

Something dilatory creates a delay. Remember when your math teacher asked you to work out a problem on the board and you tried to get her talking about her favorite theorems instead? That was a dilatory tactic.

(adj.) wasting time

The dilatory limousine came rolling up the drive.

Question 3

VERISIMILAR

Answer 3

appearing to be true or real

The adjective verisimilar describes something that appears to be true or real but may not be. If you want to impress your friends, remark on the verisimilar portrait of lost love in that foreign film you all went to see.

(adj.) appearing to be true or real

“a verisimilar tale”

Question 4

HOODWINK

Answer 4

conceal one’s true motives from

To hoodwink someone means to trick or mislead them. Beware of fake ATMs that try to hoodwink you into giving over your bank card and your code, only to keep them both and steal all your money.

(v) To deceive or trick, especially using a misleading or false appearance

“Listen, Max. You think I’m trying to hoodwink you, don’t you?”

Question 5

MISANTHROPE

Answer 5

someone who dislikes people in general

Misien in Greek means hate and anthrope means mankind.

A misanthrope is a person who hates or mistrusts other people. Your great aunt Edna who lashes out at anyone who approaches, convinced they’ll steal the jewelry she keeps in her handbag on her lap? A misanthrope indeed.

(n) someone who dislikes people in general

Question 6

TEETOTALER

Answer 6

someone who abstains from drinking alcoholic beverages

If you are a teetotaler, you stay away from drinking alcoholic beverages.

(n) someone who abstains from drinking alcoholic beverages

Question 7

APATHETIC

Answer 7

showing little or no emotion or animation

Apathetic is an adjective that describes the feeling of being bored with what’s going on around you. If you don’t care one way or another, you’re apathetic.

(adj) showing little or no emotion or animation

“a woman who became active rather than apathetic as she grew older”

Question 8

PEDANTIC

Answer 8

marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning

There’s nothing wrong with focusing on the details, but someone who is pedantic makes a big display of knowing obscure facts and details.

(adj) marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects

I used to tease him about being pedantic.

Question 9

INDELIBLE

Answer 9

not able to be forgotten, removed, or erased

Mnemonic: in+delete+able

If something is indelible, you better hope you never regret it, like the indelible tattoo of the name of your favorite band or the indelible first impression it might give people you meet years from now, especially if your taste in music changes.

(adj) not able to be forgotten, removed, or erased
“an indelible stain”
“indelible memories”

Question 10

SCOTCH

Answer 10

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

Don’t get your hopes up: The verb to scotch has nothing to do with the well-known liquor. Instead, it means to prevent or stop something from happening.

(v) To put an end to (the storm scotched our plans)

Question 11

CODA

Answer 11

the closing section of a musical composition

A coda is a concluding segment of a piece of music, a dance, or a statement. It’s usually short and adds a final embellishment beyond a natural ending point. Like this.

(n) the closing section of a musical composition

It seemed innocuous, a soft coda to the storm of the morning.

Question 12

HOMOGENEOUS

Answer 12

all of the same or similar kind of nature

If a group of things are homogeneous, they’re all the same or similar, like a room full of identically dressed Elvis impersonators.

(adj.) all of the same or similar kind or nature

“a close-knit homogeneous group”
synonyms:

Question 13

FATUOUS

Answer 13

devoid of intelligence

Fatuous means lacking intelligence. When your mother outlaws calling your brother stupid, use fatuous instead.

(adj) devoid of intelligence

Question 14

INVETERATE

Answer 14

habitual

Veter = for a long time

If you’re an inveterate doodler, all your notebooks are covered with drawings. If you’re an inveterate golf player, you probably get twitchy if you haven’t been out on a course in a week.

(adj.) habitual

Question 15

PERMEABLE

Answer 15

allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through

Something that is permeable can be passed through, especially by liquids or gases. “I wish I hadn’t worn my permeable sweater to the picnic when the weatherman called for thunderstorms. The rain seeped right through the fabric, soaking me to the skin.”

(adj.) allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through

“permeable membranes”
“rock that is permeable by water”

Question 16

PHILANTHROPIC

Answer 16

of or relating to or characterized by philanthropy

Something given to help others is philanthropic. Money, household items, giving your time and energy to a cause — all can be philanthropic contributions.

(adj.) of or relating to or characterized by philanthropy

Question 17

OSTRACIZE

Answer 17

expel from a community or group

If you banish someone or ignore him, you ostracize him. When the Iranian president claimed that the Holocaust was a hoax, he was ostracized by the international community.

(v) expel from a community or group

Question 18

PROPAGATE

Answer 18

multiply through reproduction

To propagate is to be fruitful and multiply, by the usual routes of reproduction, or by spreading something around — like a rumor.

(v) To multiply or breed; to pass (traits) to offspring
(v) To extend or spread to a greater area or number
(v) To foster wider knowledge or spread word of; to publicize

Question 19

FIDELITY

Answer 19

the quality of being faithful

Fidelity is the quality of being faithful or loyal. Dogs are famous for their fidelity.

(n) the quality of being faithful

Question 20

ABSTAIN

Answer 20

refrain from doing, consuming, or partaking in something

If you abstain from something, you restrain yourself from consuming it. People usually abstain from things that are considered vices — like eating French fries every day for lunch.

(v) choose not to partake in or consume

“I abstain from alcohol”

Question 21

INHIBIT

Answer 21

limit the range or extent of

When you inhibit something, you block it or hold it back. If you put plants in a dark room, you inhibit their growth. A teacher who mocks their students for giving wrong answers inhibits their willingness to speak up in class.

(v) limit the range or extent of

“Contact between the young was inhibited by strict social customs”

Question 22

FACETIOUS

Answer 22

cleverly amusing in tone

Don’t take a facetious comment seriously because it’s supposed to be funny. Anything facetious is a joke. If you’ve just won a hotdog-eating contest and someone asks if you’d like to go out for burgers, they’re probably being facetious.

(adj.) cleverly amusing in tone

“facetious remarks”

Question 23

INGENUOUS

Answer 23

lacking in sophistication or worldliness

Someone who is ingenuous shows a childlike innocence, trust, and openness. One of the things kindergarten teachers value is the chance to work with kids while they’re still relatively ingenuous — their open, trusting natures are a joy.

(adj.) Lacking in cunning, guile, or worldliness; straightforward, candid, or frank

“But why do you want to keep the embryo below par?” asked an ingenuous student.

Question 24

AFFABLE

Answer 24

diffusing warmth and friendliness

Affable means friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to. An affable host offers you something to drink and makes you feel at home.

(adj.) diffusing warmth and friendliness

“an affable smile”

Question 25

ADHERE

Answer 25

**stick to firmly** If you don't want monkey droppings to adhere to the sole of your shoe, watch where you’re walking. Maybe if you'd adhere, or stick to, the zoo rules and stay on the walking path, you wouldn't have to worry about it. (v) stick to firmly “Will this wallpaper adhere to the wall?”

Question 26

SLACK

Answer 26

**not tense or taut** If you slow down at the end of a race, you slack off. When you use slack this way, it means to reduce your speed, to be sluggish, or to be negligent. (adj.) not tense or taut “slack and wrinkled skin” “slack sails” “a slack rope”

Question 27

DIVERGE

Answer 27

**tending to move apart in different directions** Something divergent is moving away from what is expected. Two divergent paths are moving in opposite directions — away from each other. (adj.) tending to move apart in different directions “a divergent opinion”

Question 28

FREQUENT

Answer 28

**coming at short intervals or habitually** Use the adjective frequent to describe something done often and at regular intervals. If your family likes to read, you may be a frequent visitor to the library. You may also have frequent arguments with your family about who gets to read a book first. (adj.) coming at short intervals or habitually “a frequent guest” “frequent complaints”

Question 29

FRINGE

Answer 29

**an ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels** If you make cutoffs from jeans, the little white strings around the edges of the legs make a fringe. A fringe is a decorative edge made of hanging strings of fabric. (n) A margin, periphery, or outer edge

Question 30

EGRESS

Answer 30

**the act or means of going out** Mnemonics: gress is to go, digress is to stray, egress is to go out. If you want to leave a place, you need a means of egress, or a way to exit, such as a door or window. It was a beautiful old house, but without enough ways of egress, they needed outdoor fire-stairs for reaching the upper floors. (n.) the act of coming (or going) out; becoming apparent

Question 31

ASCEND

Answer 31

**travel up** To ascend is to move or travel upwards. You can do this literally, like when you ascend to 35,000 feet after your plane takes off, or figuratively, like when you win the lottery and ascend to a higher social class. (v) travel up, "We ascended the mountain" “The mountaineers slowly ascended the steep slope”

Question 32

LAUDABLE

Answer 32

**worthy of high praise** Use the word laudable to describe something that deserves praise or admiration, like your laudable efforts to start a recycling program at your school. (adj.) worthy of high praise “laudable motives of improving housing conditions”

Question 33

RENT

Answer 33

**to rip** To rent something is to pay money to use it, live in it, or borrow it. If you're not sure which musical instrument you'll stick with and enjoy playing, it's best to rent a few to try out before buying. (adj.) Having been torn, violently lacerated, or wrested from (n) 1. A tear or opening created by rending 2. A rift or breach in relations

Question 34

VOLATILE

Answer 34

**liable to lead to sudden change or violence** Watch out when a situation becomes volatile — it is likely to change for the worse suddenly. If you and your best friend have a volatile relationship, you frequently fight and makeup. (adj.) liable to lead to sudden change or violence “a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation.”

Question 35

ASEPTIC

Answer 35

**sterile, sanitized, clean of infectious organisms** If something is aseptic it is sterile, sanitized, or otherwise clean of infectious organisms. Hospitals make every effort to keep operating rooms aseptic so that patients don’t contract infections after surgery. (adj.) free of or using methods to keep free of pathological microorganisms “aseptic surgical instruments” “aseptic surgical techniques”

Question 36

SKULLDUGGERY

Answer 36

**verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way** (n.) verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way

Question 37

PREDILECTION

Answer 37

**a predisposition in favor of something** A predilection is a preference for or bias toward something. If you have a predilection for wool clothing, you should take up knitting. (n.) a predisposition in favor of something “a predilection for expensive cars”

Question 38

DIVESTITURE

Answer 38

**a partial or full sale of a company's division or assets** Divestiture is the act of getting rid of something. In business, companies sometimes use divestiture to scale down and save money, by selling off assets. (n.) the sale by a company of a product line or a subsidiary or a division

Question 39

PROLOGUE

Answer 39

**an introductory section of a novel or other literary work** With the lines, "Two households, both alike in dignity," Shakespeare begins the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, setting up the idea of two families who hate each other before introducing the lovers in the opening scene. (n) an introductory section of a novel or other literary work

Question 40

GOSSAMER

Answer 40

**Delicate and fine. A gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture** Gossamer is something super fine and delicate — like a spider web or the material of a wedding veil. (n) a gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture

Question 41

DORMANT

Answer 41

**inactive but capable of becoming active** That old dog was dormant for so long he was confused for a furry doormat, but a doormat is likely to stay dormant, or inactive, because it is lifeless: that old dog has some life in him yet. (adj.) inactive but capable of becoming active “her feelings of affection are dormant but easily awakened”

Question 42

GRATE

Answer 42

**reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface** When you grate something, you rip it to shreds, like a pound of solid cheese that you shred for a recipe. (v.) reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface “grate carrots and onions” “grate nutmeg”

Question 43

GRATUITOUS

Answer 43

**Unnecessary and unwarranted** Gratuitous means "without cause" or "unnecessary." Telling ridiculous jokes at a somber occasion would be a display of gratuitous humor. (adj.) unnecessary and unwarranted “a gratuitous insult”

Question 44

HEGEMONY

Answer 44

**the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others** Hegemony is political or cultural dominance or authority over others. The hegemony of the popular kids over the other students means that they determine what is and is not cool. (n.) the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others. “the consolidation of the United States' hegemony over a new international economic system”

Question 45

RIFT

Answer 45

**a narrow fissure in rock** Rift sounds like rip, and it's helpful to think of it that way. When there is a rift in a political party over a particular policy, it is like a rip or tear in the fabric of the group. (n) A narrow fissure in rock (n) A break in an interpersonal relationship “the sun shone through a rift in the clouds”

Question 46

GRIEVOUS

Answer 46

**causing or marked by grief or anguish** If something is called grievous, you better take it seriously. Grievous is used to describe horrible things like tragedies or crimes. If you have a grievous wound, a band-aid simply won't do. (adj.) causing or marked by grief or anguish “a grievous loss” “a grievous cry”

Question 47

EPHEMERAL

Answer 47

**anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form** Something that is fleeting or short-lived is ephemeral, like a fly that lives for one day or text messages flitting from cellphone to cellphone. (adj.) Short-lived or lasting for only a brief period (adj.) Lasting only one day “the ephemeral joys of childhood”

Question 48

ASPERSION

Answer 48

**a disparaging remark** An aspersion is a disparaging remark. It almost invariably appears as a plural, following the word "cast" — when you cast aspersions on someone, you are questioning their abilities or doubting them. (n) A false, derogatory claim meant to injure someone’s reputation (n) The act of making such a claim (n) A sprinkling with water, especially as part of a religious ceremony “Casting aspersions on a boy's character is a very serious act, Taylor.”

Question 49

PALATIAL

Answer 49

**relating to or being a large and stately residence** Knowing that the adjective palatial is derived from the same Latin word as palace gives you a good sense of its meaning: magnificent, reminiscent of a home fit for a king. (adj.) relating to or being a palace “the palatial residence”

Question 50

HALCYON

Answer 50

**calm, peaceful, tranquil** An old man watching his grandchildren play might look back fondly on his halcyon days, remembering the peaceful, happy time of his youth. (adj.) Calm, peaceful, or tranquil (adj.) Prosperous or wealthy