blue book #15

Question 1

forte

Answer 1

1.
a person’s strong suit, or most highly developed characteristic, talent, or skill; something that one excels in:
I don’t know what her forte is, but it’s not music.

2.
the stronger part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt (opposed to foible).

Question 2

forthright

Answer 2

1.
frank; directly honest; going straight to the point; outspoken:
It’s sometimes difficult to be forthright and not give offense.

2.
proceeding in a straight course; direct; straightforward:
a forthright glance.

Question 3

fortify

Answer 3

1.
to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works.

2.
to furnish with a means of resisting force or standing strain or wear:
to fortify cotton with nylon.

3.
to make strong; impart strength or vigor to:
to fortify oneself with a good breakfast.

4.
to increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients:
to fortify a diet with vitamins; to fortify a lotion with lanolin.

5.
to strengthen mentally or morally:
to be fortified by religious faith.

6.
to confirm or corroborate:
to fortify an accusation with facts.

Question 4

fortitude

Answer 4

mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously:
Never once did her fortitude waver during that long illness.

Question 5

fortuitous

Answer 5

1.
happening or produced by chance; accidental:
a fortuitous encounter.

2.
lucky; fortunate:
a series of fortuitous events that advanced her career.

Question 6

foster

Answer 6

1.
to nourish; promote the growth or development of; further; encourage:
to foster new ideas.

2.
to bring up, raise, or rear, as a foster child.

3.
to care for or cherish.

Question 7

founder

Answer 7

1.
(of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink.

2.
to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground:
Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet.

3.
to become wrecked; fail utterly:
The project foundered because public support was lacking.

4.
to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse:
His mount foundered on the rocky path.

Question 8

foyer

Answer 8

1.
the lobby of a theater, hotel, or apartment house.

2.
a vestibule or entrance hall in a house or apartment.

Question 9

fracas

Answer 9

a noisy, disorderly disturbance or fight; riotous brawl; uproar.

Question 10

fractious

Answer 10

1.
unruly; refractory:
a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness.

2.
readily angered; peevish; irritable; quarrelsome:
an incorrigibly fractious young man.

Question 11

franchise

Answer 11

1.
a privilege of a public nature conferred on an individual, group, or company by a government:
a franchise to operate a bus system.

2.
the right or license granted by a company to an individual or group to market its products or services in a specific territory.

3.
the right to vote:
to guarantee the franchise of every citizen.

6.
a privilege arising from the grant of a sovereign or government, or from prescription, which presupposes a grant.

Question 12

frank

Answer 12

1.
direct and unreserved in speech; straightforward; sincere:
Her criticism of my work was frank but absolutely fair.

2.
without inhibition or subterfuge; direct; undisguised:
a frank appeal for financial aid.

Question 13

fraudulent

Answer 13

1.
characterized by, involving, or proceeding from deceit or trickery, perpetrated for profit, as actions, enterprise, methods, or gains:
a fraudulent scheme to evade taxes.

2.
given to or using fraud, as a person; cheating; dishonest.

Question 14

fraught

Answer 14

1.
filled or laden with:
ships fraught with precious wares.

2.
(fraught with) full of; accompanied by; involving:
a venture fraught with danger.

Question 15

freight

Answer 15

1.
goods, cargo, or lading transported for pay, whether by water, land, or air.

2.
the ordinary conveyance or means of transport of goods provided by common carriers (distinguished from express):
Shipping by freight is less expensive.

3.
the charges, fee, or compensation paid for such transportation:
We pay the freight.

Question 16

frenetic

Answer 16

frantic; frenzied.

Question 17

frenzied

Answer 17

1.
wildly excited or enthusiastic:
frenzied applause.

2.
violently agitated; frantic; wild:
a frenzied mob.

Question 18

frequent

Answer 18

1.
happening or occurring at short intervals:
to make frequent trips to Tokyo.

2.
constant, habitual, or regular:
a frequent guest.

3.
located at short distances apart:
frequent towns along the shore.

4.
to visit often; go often to; be often in:
to frequent the art galleries.

Question 19

fresco

Answer 19

the art or technique of painting on a moist, plaster surface with colors ground up in water or a limewater mixture.

Question 20

frigid

Answer 20

1.
very cold in temperature:
a frigid climate.

2.
without warmth of feeling; without ardor or enthusiasm:
a frigid reaction to the suggested law.

3.
stiff or formal:
a welcome that was polite but frigid.

4.
unemotional or unimaginative; lacking passion, sympathy, or sensitivity:
a correct, but frigid presentation.

Question 21

frivolous

Answer 21

1.
characterized by lack of seriousness or sense:
frivolous conduct.

2.
self-indulgently carefree; unconcerned about or lacking any serious purpose.

3.
(of a person) given to trifling or undue levity:
a frivolous, empty-headed person.

4.
of little or no weight, worth, or importance; not worthy of serious notice:
a frivolous suggestion.

Question 22

frolicsome

Answer 22

merrily playful; full of fun.

Question 23

frond

Answer 23

1.
an often large, finely divided leaf, especially as applied to the ferns and certain palms.

2.
a leaflike expansion not differentiated into stem and foliage, as in lichens.

Question 24

frugal

Answer 24

1.
economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful:
What your office needs is a frugal manager who can save you money without resorting to painful cutbacks.

2.
entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty:
a frugal meal.

Question 25

fudge

Answer 25

1.
to cheat; fake or falsify:
to fudge on an exam; to fudge on one’s campaign promises.

2.
to avoid coming to grips with something; evade, dodge:
to fudge on an issue, to fudge a direct question.

3.
to exaggerate a cost, estimate, etc., in order to allow leeway for error.

Question 26

fulcrum

Answer 26

1.
the support, or point of rest, on which a lever turns in moving a body.

2.
any prop or support.

3.
(zoology) any of various structures in an animal serving as a hinge or support.

Question 27

fungible

Answer 27

being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind; interchangeable.

Question 28

furtive

Answer 28

1.
done surreptitiously; stealthy, secret:
a furtive glance.

2.
sly; shifty:
a furtive manner.

Question 29

fusion

Answer 29

1.
the act or process of merging into one; the state of being fused.

2.
that which is fused; the result of fusing:
A ballet production is the fusion of many talents.

Question 30

futile

Answer 30

1.
incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful:
Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.

2.
trifling; frivolous; unimportant.

Question 31

gadget

Answer 31

a mechanical contrivance or device; any ingenious article.

Question 32

gaffe

Answer 32

a social blunder; faux pas.

Question 33

gait

Answer 33

1.
a manner of walking, stepping, or running.

2.
any of the manners in which a horse moves, as a walk, trot, canter, gallop, or rack.

Question 34

gall

Answer 34

1.
impudence; effrontery.

2.
something bitter or severe.

3.
bitterness of spirit; rancor.

4.
to make sore by rubbing; chafe severely:
The saddle galled the horse’s back.

5.
to vex or irritate greatly:
His arrogant manner galls me.

Question 35

galvanize

Answer 35

to startle into sudden activity; stimulate:
The company used the decision to galvanize consumer support.
The world can galvanize a clean energy revolution.

Question 36

gambit

Answer 36

1.
strategic sacrifice; in chess, an opening in which a player seeks to obtain some advantage by sacrificing a pawn or piece.

2.
any maneuver by which one seeks to gain an advantage.

Question 37

gambol

Answer 37

to skip about, as in dancing or playing; frolic.

Question 38

gamely

Answer 38

in a courageous or plucky manner:

They struggled gamely.

Question 39

gamut

Answer 39

1.
the entire scale or range:
the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy.

2.
(music) the whole series of recognized musical notes.

Question 40

garble

Answer 40

1.
to confuse unintentionally or ignorantly; jumble; make unintelligible:
to garble instructions.

2.
to make unfair or misleading selections from or arrangement of statements, writings, etc.; distort:
to garble a quotation.

Question 41

gargantuan

Answer 41

gigantic; enormous; colossal:

a gargantuan task.

Question 42

garish

Answer 42

1.
crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate, as clothes or decoration.

2.
excessively ornate or elaborate, as buildings or writings.

3.
dressed in or ornamented with bright colors.

Question 43

garner

Answer 43

1.
to gather or deposit in or as if in a granary or other storage place.

2.
to get; acquire; earn:
He gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert.

3.
to gather, collect, or hoard.

Question 44

garret

Answer 44

an attic, usually a small, wretched one.

Question 45

garrulous

Answer 45

1.
excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters.

2.
wordy or diffuse:
a garrulous and boring speech.

Question 46

gastric

Answer 46

pertaining to the stomach.

Question 47

gauche

Answer 47

lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless:
Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche.

Question 48

gaunt

Answer 48

1.
extremely thin and bony; haggard and drawn, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture; emaciated.

2.
bleak, desolate, or grim, as places or things:
a gaunt, windswept landscape.

Question 49

gauntlet

Answer 49

1.
a medieval glove, as of mail or plate, worn by a knight in armor to protect the hand.

2.
two rows of men administering military punishment.

3.
an attack from two or all sides.

4.
trying conditions; an ordeal.

5. 
“to take up the gauntlet” –
a) to accept a challenge to fight:
He was always willing to take up the gauntlet for a good cause.
b) to show one’s defiance.

6.
“to throw down the gauntlet” – to challenge, to defy.

7.
“to run the gauntlet” – to suffer severe criticism or tribulation.

Question 50

gavel

Answer 50

1.
a small mallet used by the presiding officer of a meeting, a judge, etc., usually to signal for attention or order.

2.
a similar mallet used by an auctioneer to indicate acceptance of the final bid.

Question 51

generic

Answer 51

1.
of, applicable to, or referring to all the members of a genus, class, group, or kind; general; lacking distinction.

2.
(of a word) applicable or referring to both men and women:
a generic pronoun.

3.
not protected by trademark registration:
“Cola” and “shuttle” are generic terms.

Question 52

genre

Answer 52

1.
a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like:
the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music.

2.
genus; kind; sort; style.

Question 53

genteel

Answer 53

1.
belonging or suited to polite society.

2.
well-bred or refined; polite; elegant; stylish.

3.
affectedly or pretentiously polite, delicate, etc.

Question 54

geriatric

Answer 54

of or relating to old age or aged persons.

Question 55

germane

Answer 55

closely or significantly related; relevant; pertinent:

Please keep your questions germane to the issue.

Question 56

germinate

Answer 56

1.
to begin to grow or develop from a seed.

2.
to come into existence; begin.

4.
to cause to develop; produce.

5.
to cause to come into existence; create.

Question 57

gestation

Answer 57

the process, state, or period of pregnancy.

Question 58

gesticulation

Answer 58

1.
the act of making or using gestures, often emphatically.

2.
an animated or excited gesture.

Question 59

ghastly

Answer 59

1.
shockingly frightful or dreadful; horrible:
a ghastly murder.

2.
resembling a ghost, especially in being very pale:
a ghastly look to his face.

3.
terrible; very bad:
a ghastly error.

Question 60

gibberish

Answer 60

1.
meaningless or unintelligible talk or writing.

2.
talk or writing containing many obscure, pretentious, or technical words.

Question 61

gibe

Answer 61

1.
to utter mocking or scoffing words; jeer.

2.
to taunt; deride.

3.
a taunting or sarcastic remark.

Question 62

gimmick

Answer 62

1.
an ingenious or novel device, scheme, or stratagem, especially one designed to attract attention or increase appeal.

2.
a concealed, usually devious aspect or feature of something, as a plan or deal:
An offer that good must have a gimmick in it somewhere.

3.
a hidden mechanical device by which a magician works a trick or a gambler controls a game of chance.

4.
to equip or embellish with unnecessary features, especially in order to increase salability, acceptance, etc.:
to gimmick up a sports car with chrome and racing stripes.

Question 63

girth

Answer 63

1.
the measure around anything; circumference.

2.
a band that passes underneath a horse or other animal to hold a saddle in place, especially one having a buckle at each end for fastening to straps running from under the flaps of the saddle.

3.
something that encircles; a band or girdle.

Question 64

gist

Answer 64

1.
the main or essential part or idea of a matter:
What was the gist of his speech?

2.
the ground of a legal action.

Question 65

given

Answer 65

2.
stated, fixed, or specified:
at a given time.

3.
addicted or disposed to:
given to making snide remarks.

4.
bestowed as a gift; conferred.

5.
assigned as a basis of calculation, reasoning, etc.:
Given (a) and (b), (c) follows.

6.
(mathematics) known or independently determined:
a given magnitude.

Question 66

glacial

Answer 66

1.
of or relating to glaciers or ice sheets:
glacial terrain.

2.
bitterly cold; icy:
a glacial winter wind.

3.
happening or moving extremely slowly:
The work proceeded at a glacial pace.

4.
icily unsympathetic or immovable:
a glacial stare; glacial indifference.

Question 67

glean

Answer 67

1.
to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.

2.
to gather grain, etc. after the reapers or regular gatherers.

3.
to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.

Question 68

glib

Answer 68

1.
readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, superficially, or insincerely so:
a glib talker; glib answers.

2.
easy or unconstrained, as actions or manners.

Question 69

glower

Answer 69

1.
to look or stare with sullen dislike, discontent, or anger.

2.
a look of sullen dislike, discontent, or anger.

Question 70

gluttony

Answer 70

excessive eating and drinking.

Question 71

gnarl

Answer 71

1.
a knotty protuberance on a tree; knot:
In a little while he returned, carrying a gnarl of pine wood, which he set to blazing at the fire.

2.
to twist into a knotted or distorted form.

Question 72

goad

Answer 72

1.
a stick with a pointed or electrically charged end, for driving cattle and oxen; a prod.

2.
something that incites, encourages, urges, or drives; a stimulus.

4.
to prod or urge, as if with a goad; incite; encourage; drive.

Question 73

gossamer

Answer 73

1.
a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather, especially in autumn.

2.
an extremely delicate variety of gauze, used especially for veils.

3.
any thin, light fabric.

5.
something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate.

6.
of or like gossamer; thin and light.

Question 74

gradation

Answer 74

1.
any process or change taking place through a series of stages, by degrees, or in a gradual manner:
But within that group there is a great deal of gradation, much of it tied to specific timelines within pregnancy.

2.
a stage, degree, or grade in such a series:
Now we have to note that besides variation there is gradation.

3.
the passing of one tint or shade of color to another, or one surface to another, by very small degrees, as in painting or sculpture:
He could also lay a flat tint with a brush quite neatly, though he could not manage a gradation.

Question 75

grandiloquence

Answer 75

speech that is lofty in tone, often to the point of being pompous or bombastic.

Question 76

grandiose

Answer 76

1.
affectedly grand or important; pompous:
grandiose words.

2.
more complicated or elaborate than necessary; overblown:
a grandiose scheme.

3.
grand in an imposing or impressive way.

4.
(psychiatry) having an exaggerated belief in one’s importance, sometimes reaching delusional proportions in mental illness.

Question 77

grandstand

Answer 77

1.
to conduct oneself or perform showily or ostentatiously in an attempt to impress onlookers:
The senator doesn’t hesitate to grandstand if it makes her point.

2.
situated in the main seating area of a stadium, racetrack, parade route, usually consisting of tiers with rows:
grandstand seats.

3.
having a vantage point resembling that of a grandstand:
From our office windows on the third floor, we had a grandstand view of the parade.

4.
intended to impress an onlooker or onlookers:
a grandstand catch.

Question 78

grassroots

Answer 78

1.
the common or ordinary people, especially as contrasted with the leadership or elite of a political party or social organization; the rank and file.

2.
the agricultural and rural areas of a country.

3.
the people inhabiting these areas, especially as a political, social, or economic group.

4.
the origin or basis of something; the basic or primary concept.

5.
of, relating to, or involving the common people, especially as contrasted with or separable from an elite:
a grassroots movement for nuclear disarmament.

Question 79

gratis

Answer 79

1.
without charge or payment; free:
The manufacturer provided an extra set of coat buttons gratis.

2.
free; gratuitous.

Question 80

gratuitous

Answer 80

1.
given, done, bestowed, or obtained without charge or payment; free; voluntary.

2.
without apparent reason, cause, or justification:
a gratuitous insult.

Question 81

gratuity

Answer 81

1.
something given voluntarily, without claim or demand.

2.
a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.

Question 82

gravitas

Answer 82

seriousness or solemnity, as of conduct or speech:
The actor has the gravitas and the poker face necessary to pull off the mysterious role.
Recently, the GOP force questioned whether Palin has the required “gravitas” to run for president.

Question 83

gregarious

Answer 83

1.
fond of the company of others; sociable, outgoing.

2.
living in flocks or herds, as animals.

Question 84

grievous

Answer 84

1.
causing grief or great sorrow:
grievous news.

2.
flagrant; outrageous; atrocious:
a grievous offense against morality.

3.
full of or expressing grief; sorrowful:
a grievous cry.

4.
burdensome or oppressive.

5.
causing great pain or suffering:
arrested for causing grievous bodily harm to someone in a bar.

Question 85

grimace

Answer 85

1.
a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.

2.
to make a grimace.

Question 86

grizzled

Answer 86

1.
having gray or partly gray hair.

2.
gray or partly gray.