Essential Words I

Question 1

Acrid

Answer 1

Sharp, bitter (of smell or taste).

Question 2

Acerbity

Answer 2

Bitterness

Question 3

Acrimony

Answer 3

Sharpness of words, behavior, or feeling.

Question 4

Acme

Answer 4

Highest point, best level.

Question 5

Acrophobia

Answer 5

“High + fear” = fear of height

Question 6

Acumen

Answer 6

Sharpness of intellect.

Question 7

Demagogue

Answer 7

“people + lead” = leader who appeals (falsely) to the people.

Question 8

React

Answer 8

Do in response.

Question 9

Exalted

Answer 9

“Out + high” = raised high

Question 10

Circumambulate

Answer 10

“Around + walk” = walk around in a circle.

Question 11

Perambulator

Answer 11

“Around + walk” = baby carriage.

Question 12

Unanimous

Answer 12

“One + spirit” = in complete agreement

Question 13

Equanimity

Answer 13

“Even + spirit” = calmness, balance under stress

Question 14

Magnanimity

Answer 14

“Great + spirit” = nobility of spirit, generosity

Question 15

Pusillanimous

Answer 15

“Tiny + spirit” = cowardly, without courage

Question 16

Anarchy

Answer 16

“Not + ruler” = chaos, lack of government

Question 17

Auditory

Answer 17

Related to hearing

Question 18

Bellicose

Answer 18

Ready to fight, warlike

Question 19

Belligerent

Answer 19

“War + to do = hostile, provocative, or actually at war

Question 20

Decadent

Answer 20

In a state of decline, often self-indulgent

Question 21

Recidivism

Answer 21

Tendency to relapse to earlier behavior or crime

Question 22

Antecedent

Answer 22

Earlier event or cause

Question 23

Precedent

Answer 23

Earlier example

Question 24

Cessation

Answer 24

End of an action.

Question 25

Anachronism

Answer 25

Something out of place in time.

Question 26

Diachronic

Answer 26

Relating to change over time

Question 27

Incisive

Answer 27

Cutting to the heart of a matter, direct

Question 28

Excision

Answer 28

Act of cutting out, removing

Question 29

Regicide

Answer 29

Murder of a king

Question 30

Preclude

Answer 30

Prevent, rule out beforehand

Question 31

Occlude

Answer 31

Block off or conceal

Question 32

Autocratic

Answer 32

Relating to an absolute ruler or tyrant

Question 33

Credence

Answer 33

Acceptance, trust

Question 34

Credulity

Answer 34

Readiness to believe, gullibility

Question 35

Incredulous

Answer 35

Skeptical, unwilling to believe

Question 36

Deify

Answer 36

Make into a god, glorify

Question 37

Demographic

Answer 37

Related to a population, or a segment of a population

Question 38

Pandemic

Answer 38

Something affecting everyone, usually a disease

Question 39

Endemic

Answer 39

Native to a population

Question 40

Demagogue

Answer 40

Leader who appeals (falsely) to the people.

Question 41

Benediction

Answer 41

Blessing

Question 42

Valedictory

Answer 42

Expressing a farewell (often by a speech)

Question 43

Deduce

Answer 43

Determine from general principles

Question 44

Ductile

Answer 44

Able to be led easily (people) or to be drawn out into wire (metals)

Question 45

Induct

Answer 45

Admit as a member

Question 46

Duress

Answer 46

Compulsion, restraint by force

Question 47

Obdurate

Answer 47

Hard of heart, stubborn

Question 48

Equitable

Answer 48

Dealing fairly on all sides

Question 49

Equanimity

Answer 49

Calmness under stress, balance

Question 50

Equivocate

Answer 50

Say something open to more than one interpretation in order to mislead or to avoid commitment.