Basic VII

Question 1

cumbersome

Answer 1

cumbersome
adjective: difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight

Only ten years ago, being an avid reader and a traveler meant carrying a cumbersome backpack stuffed with books–these days we need only an e-reader.

Question 2

debunk

Answer 2

debunk
verb: expose as false ideas and claims, especially while ridiculing

Richard Dawkins tries to debunk religious belief, but his ridicule tends to push people away from his points rather than convince them.

Question 3

qualm

Answer 3

qualm
noun: uneasiness about the fitness of an action

While he could articulate no clear reason why Harkner’s plan would fail, he nevertheless felt qualms about committing any resources to it.

Question 4

colassal

Answer 4

colossal
adjective: so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe

Few appreciate the colossal scale of the sun: if hollow, it could contain a million Earths.

Question 5

dilapidated

Answer 5

dilapidated
adjective: in terrible condition

The main house has been restored but the gazebo is still dilapidated and unusable.

Question 6

enumerate

Answer 6

enumerate
verb: determine the number or amount of

The survey enumerates the number of happy workers and the number of unhappy workers.

verb: specify individually, one by one

I sat and listened as she enumerated all of the things she did not like about the past three months.

Question 7

constraint

Answer 7

constraint
noun: something that limits or restricts

We don’t have many resources, so we’ll have to work with some very tight constraints.

Question 8

hamper

Answer 8

hamper
verb: prevent the progress or free movement of

As the rain water began to collect in pools on the highway, it began to hamper the flow of traffic.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 9

abysmal

Answer 9

abysmal
adjective: extremely bad

Coach Ramsey took his newest player off the field after watching a few painful minutes of her abysmal performance.

Question 10

provisional

Answer 10

provisional
adjective: under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon

Until the corporate office hands down a definitive decision on use of the extra offices, we will share their use in a provisional arrangement.

Question 11

vanquish

Answer 11

vanquish
verb: come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

For years, Argentina would dominate in World Cup qualifying matches, only to be vanquished by one of the European countries during the late stages of the tournament.

Question 12

complementary

Answer 12

complementary
adjective: enhancing each other’s qualities (for two things or more).

The head waiter was careful to tell the amateur diners that red wine was complementary with beef, each bringing out subtle taste notes in the other.

Question 13

sordid

Answer 13

sordid
adjective: involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and repulsive

The nightly news simply announced that the senator had had an affair, but the tabloid published all the sordid details of the interaction.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 14

laborious

Answer 14

laborious
adjective: characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort

The most laborious job I’ve had was working 20 hours a day as a fisherman in King Salmon, Alaska.

Question 15

discreet

Answer 15

discreet
adjective: careful to protect one’s speech or actions in order to avoid offense or draw attention

The professor thought that he was discreet, subtly wiping the stain off of his shirt, but as soon as he stepped off the podium a heckler in the audience burst out, “You missed a spot”.

Question 16

champion

Answer 16

champion
verb: to fight for a cause

Martin Luther King Jr. championed civil rights fiercely throughout his short life.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 17

compound

Answer 17

compound
verb: make more intense, stronger, or more marked

Her headache was compounded by the construction crew outside, which had six jackhammers going at the same time.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 18

dispatch

Answer 18

dispatch
noun: the property of being prompt and efficient

She finished her thesis with dispatch, amazing her advisors who couldn’t believe she had written 60 scholarly pages so quickly.

verb: dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently

As soon as the angry peasants stormed the castle, they caught the king and swiftly dispatched him.

This word has other definitions, but these are the most important ones to study

Question 19

aphorism

Answer 19

aphorism
noun: a short instructive saying about a general truth

Nietzsche was known for using aphorisms, sometimes encapsulating a complex philosophical thought in a mere sentence.

Question 20

inarticulate

Answer 20

inarticulate
adjective: without or deprived of the use of speech or words

Although a brilliant economist, Professor Black was completely inarticulate, a terrible lecturer.

Question 21

stymie

Answer 21

stymie
verb: hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of

The engineers found their plans stymied at every turn and were ultimately able to make almost no progress on the project.

Question 22

obliging

Answer 22

obliging
adjective: showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others

Even after all his success, I found him to be accommodating and obliging, sharing with me his “secret tips” on how to gain wealth and make friends.

Question 23

malodorous

Answer 23

malodorous
adjective: having an unpleasant smell

Some thermally active fountains spew sulfur fumes–the air around them is sometimes so malodorous that many have to plug their noses.

Question 24

balk

Answer 24

balk
verb: refuse to comply

The students were willing to clean up the broken glass, but when the teacher asked them to mop the entire floor, they balked, citing reasons why they needed to leave.

Question 25

excruciating

Answer 25

excruciating
adjective: extremely painful

After the boulder rolled a couple of feet, pinning my friend’s arm, he experienced excruciating pain.

Question 26

morph

Answer 26

morph
verb: To undergo dramatic change in a seamless and barely noticeable fashion.

The earnestness of the daytime talk shows of the 1970’s has morphed into something far more sensational and vulgar: today guests actually stand up and threaten to take swings at one another.

Question 27

besiege

Answer 27

besiege
verb: harass, as with questions or requests; cause to feel distressed or worried

After discovering a priceless artifact in her backyard, Jane was besieged by phone calls, emails, and reporters all trying to buy, hold or see the rare piece of history.

Question 28

paradoxical

Answer 28

paradoxical
adjective: seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true

That light could be both a particle and a wave seems paradoxical, but nonetheless, it is true.

Question 29

futile

Answer 29

futile
adjective: producing no result or effect; unproductive of success

I thought I could repair the car myself, but after two days of work with no success, I have to admit that my efforts were futile.

Question 30

antiquated

Answer 30

antiquated
adjective: old-fashioned; belonging to an earlier period in time

Aunt Betty had antiquated notions about marriage, believing that a man should court a woman for at least a year before receiving a kiss.

Question 31

convivial

Answer 31

convivial
adjective: describing a lively atmosphere

The wedding reception was convivial; friends who hadn’t seen each other for ages drank and ate together before heading to the dance floor.

Question 32

boorish

Answer 32

boorish
adjective: ill-mannered and coarse or contemptible in behavior or appearance

Bukowski was known for being a boorish drunk and alienating close friends and family.

Question 33

staid

Answer 33

staid
adjective: characterized by dignity and propriety

Frank came from a staid environment, so he was shocked that his college roommate sold narcotics.

Question 34

chivalrous

Answer 34

chivalrous
adjective: being attentive to women like an ideal knight

Medieval tales are full of stories of chivalry, in which a young knight must commit deeds of heroism to win the hand of a fair maiden.

Question 35

evasive

Answer 35

evasive
adjective: avoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger or commitment

His responses were clearly evasive; he obviously did not want to take on any responsibility or any new work.

adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous

Every time I call the bank, I receive the same evasive answers about our mortgage and never get a clear response.

Question 36

credible

Answer 36

creditable
adjective: deserving of praise but not that amazing

Critics agreed the movie was creditable, but few gave it more than three out of five stars.

Question 37

differentiate

Answer 37

differentiate
verb: be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait (sometimes in positive sense)

Mozart’s long melodic lines differentiate his compositions from other works of late 18th century music.

verb: evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment

Animals on Madagascar differentiated from other similar animal species due to many years of isolation on the island.

Question 38

misogynist

Answer 38

misogynist
noun: a person who dislikes women in particular

Many have accused Hemingway of being a quiet misogynist, but recently unearthed letters argue against this belief.

Question 39

miscreant

Answer 39

miscreant
noun: a person who breaks the law

“Come back you miscreant!” yelled the woman who just had her purse stolen.

Question 40

carping

Answer 40

carping
noun: persistently petty and unjustified criticism

What seemed like incessant nagging and carping about my behavior from my mother turned out to be wise and useful advice that has served me well.

Question 41

evasive

Answer 41

evasive
adjective: avoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger or commitment

His responses were clearly evasive; he obviously did not want to take on any responsibility or any new work.

adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous

Every time I call the bank, I receive the same evasive answers about our mortgage and never get a clear response.

Question 42

inkling

Answer 42

inkling
noun: a slight suggestion or vague understanding

Lynne speaks four Romance languages, but she doesn’t have an inkling about how East Asian languages are structured.

Question 43

cosmopolitan

Answer 43

cosmopolitan
adjective: comprising many cultures; global in reach and outlook

There are few cities in the world as diverse and cosmopolitan as New York.

Question 44

snub

Answer 44

snub
verb: refuse to acknowledge; reject outright and bluntly

Wheeler was completely qualified for the committee, but the board snubbed him, choosing an obviously lesser qualified candidate instead.

Question 45

resignation

Answer 45

resignation
noun: the acceptance of something unpleasant that can’t be avoided

Synonyms : surrender

Since Jack could not think of a convincing reason why he had to miss the seminar, he attended it with a sense of resignation.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 46

amply

Answer 46

amply
adverb: more than is adequate

The boat was amply supplied for its year at sea—no man would go hungry or thirsty.

Question 47

vie

Answer 47

vie
verb: compete for something

While the other teams in the division actively vie for the championship, this team seems content simply to go through the motions of playing.

Question 48

relegate

Answer 48

relegate
verb: assign to a lower position

When Dexter was unable to fulfill his basic duties, instead of firing him, the boss relegated him to kitchen cleanup.

Question 49

deliberate

Answer 49

deliberate
verb: think about carefully; weigh the pros and cons of an issue

Emergency situations such as this call for immediate action and leave no room to deliberate over options.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 50

perquisite

Answer 50

perquisite
noun: a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

Even as the dishwasher at the French restaurant, Josh quickly learned that he had the perquisite of being able to eat terrific food for half the price diners would pay.

Question 51

One more?

Answer 51

One more?