Day 4

Question 1

anachronistic

Answer 1

/having an error involving time in a story. The reference to clocks in Julius
Caesar is anachronistic: clocks did not exist in Caesar’s time. anachronism, N.

Question 2

anathema

Answer 2

/solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse. The Ayatolla Khomeini heaped
anathema upon “the Great Satan,” that is, the United States. To the Ayatolla, America and the West
were anathema; he loathed the democratic nations, cursing them in his dying words. anathematize,V.

Question 3

ancillary

Answer 3

serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary. In an ancillary capacity, Doctor Watson was helpful;
however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own. also N.

Question 4

animus

Answer 4

hostile feeling or intent. The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to
indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.

Question 5

annals

Answer 5

/records; history. In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements.

Question 6

antediluvian

Answer 6

/antiquated; extremely ancient. Looking at his great-aunt’s antique furniture,
which must have been cluttering up her attic since the time of Noah’s flood, the young heir exclaimed,
“Heavens! How positively antediluvian!”

Question 7

anthropoid

Answer 7

manlike. The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. also N.

Question 8

aperture

Answer 8

/opening; hole. She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects
had entered the room.

Question 9

apex

Answer 9

/tip; summit; climax. He was at the apex of his career: he had climbed to the top of
the heap.

Question 10

aphasia

Answer 10

/loss of speech due to injury or illness. After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of
aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently.

Question 11

aphorism

Answer 11

/pithy maxim. An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or
scientific. “The proper study of mankind is man” is an aphorism. “There’s no smoke without a fire” is
an adage. aphoristic,ADJ.

Question 12

aplomb

Answer 12

poise; assurance. Gwen’s aplomb in handling potentially embarrassing moments was
legendary around the office; when one of her clients broke a piece of her best crystal, she coolly
picked up her own goblet and hurled it into the fireplace.

Question 13

apocryphal

Answer 13

/untrue; made up. To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his
adventures in the big city.

Question 14

apogee

Answer 14

/highest point. When the moon in its orbit is farthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee.

Question 15

apotheosis

Answer 15

elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something. The apotheosis of a Roman
emperor was designed to insure his eternal greatness: people would worship at his altar forever. The
hero of the musical How to Succeed in Business … was the apotheosis of yuppieness: he was the
perfect upwardly-bound young man on the make.

Question 16

appelation

Answer 16

/name; title. Macbeth was startled when the witches greeted him with an incorrect
appellation. Why did they call him Thane of Cawdor, he wondered, when the holder of that title still
lived?

Question 17

apposite

Answer 17

/appropriate; fitting. He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression
for every occasion.

Question 18

apprise

Answer 18

/inform. When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone
his trip.

Question 19

aquiline

Answer 19

curved, hooked. He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak
of the eagle.

Question 20

arable

Answer 20

/fit for growing crops. The first settlers wrote home glowing reports of the New World,
praising its vast acres of arable land ready for the plow.