G

Question 1

gaffe

Answer 1

n. social blunder

Jim was so afraid of making a gaffe that he barely spoke to anyone at the party.

Question 2

gainsay

Answer 2

v. to deny or dispute

No one can gainsay the impact of technology on modern society.

Question 3

galvanize

Answer 3

v. to rouse or stir

The speech galvanized support for the plan.

Question 4

gambit

Answer 4

n. a stratagem or ploy

The general decided on the risky gambit.

Question 5

gambol

Answer 5

v. to frolic; leap playfully

We watched the dolphins gambol in the waves.

Question 6

gamut

Answer 6

n. entire range

The courses at this university run the gamut from anthropology to zoology.

Question 7

gargantuan

Answer 7

adj. huge; tremendous

There has been a gargantuan increase in public rural areas.

Question 8

garrulous

Answer 8

adj. very talkative

The garrulous students were told to leave the library.

Question 9

gauche

Answer 9

adj. coarse and uncouth; clumsy

The girls were embarrassed by the boys’ gauche behavior.

Question 10

generic

Answer 10

adj. universal; referring to a group

They are all in favor of the use of generic drugs.

Question 11

genesis

Answer 11

n. beginning; origin

Scientists are studying the genesis of the human species.

Question 12

genial

Answer 12

adj. having a pleasant or friendly disposition

People like Ted’s genial personality.

Question 13

genocide

Answer 13

n. the systematic killing of a people or nation

The genocide was condemned by the United Nations.

Question 14

genome

Answer 14

n. the genetic material of an organism

An analogy to the human genome stored on DNA is the instructions stored in a library.

Question 15

genre

Answer 15

n. type, class; distinct literary or artistic category

Amy’s favorite genre of literature is the novel.

Question 16

gentry

Answer 16

n. people of standing; class of people just below nobility

The king made sure he had the support of the gentry before introducing a new policy.

Question 17

geomorphic

Answer 17

n. relating to the study of the evolution and configuration of landforms

Geomorphic processes are influenced by tectonics, climate, ecology, and human activity.

Question 18

geophysics

Answer 18

n. the physics of the Earth and its environment

One of the phenomena studied by geophysics is the periodic reversal in polarity of the Earth’s magnetic field.

Question 19

geriatric

Answer 19

adj. related to the aged or the aging process

As the population ages, geriatric medicine is becoming more important.

Question 20

germane

Answer 20

adj. appropriate, relevant

The judge ruled that the testimony was not germane.

Question 21

gerrymander

Answer 21

v. to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party

The lawsuit contends that the party’s gerrymandering violates the state constitution.

Question 22

gestalt

Answer 22

adj. relating to a pattern of elements so unified that properties cannot be derived from the sum of its parts

During the 1920s and 1930s artists Paul Klee, Vasily Kandinsky, and Josef Albers explicitly drew upon gestalt theory for inspiration in their writings, paints, and lectures.

Question 23

gestation

Answer 23

n. growth process from conception to birth

Human beings have a long gestation period.

Question 24

gesticulate

Answer 24

v. to motion or gesture

I saw the police officer gesticulating, so I pulled my car to the side of the road.

Question 25

gingerly

Answer 25

adv. very carefully

The soldier walked through the mine field gingerly.

Question 26

glacial

Answer 26

adj. like a glacier; extremely cold; slow

The weather man predicts a glacial winter this year.

Question 27

glib

Answer 27

adj. fluent in an insincere way; offhand

His remark sounded glib, but I don’t think he meant it that way.

Question 28

gloaming

Answer 28

n. twilight; dusk

In the first gloaming of the night we heard a trumpet sound.

Question 29

gluttony

Answer 29

n. excessive eating and drinking

We went to the supermarket to prepare for a weekend of gluttony.

Question 30

gnomic

Answer 30

adj. expressed in short, pithy sayings

Few of the guru’s followers fully understood her gnomic aphorisms.

Question 31

goad

Answer 31

v. urge on

The class goaded the teacher into twilling them the date of her weeding.

Question 32

gossamer

Answer 32

adj. sheer; light and delicate, like cobwebs

Her blouse is made of a gossamer material.

Question 33

gourment

Answer 33

n. connoisseur of food and drink

The gourmet decided to open a restaurant.

Question 34

grandiloquence

Answer 34

n. pompous language

The old senator was known for his grandiloquence.

Question 35

grandiose

Answer 35

adj. magnificent; pretentious

The rich man built a grandiose house on the hill.

Question 36

gratify

Answer 36

v. to please

The teacher was gratified by the student’s progress.

Question 37

gratuitous

Answer 37

adj. free, voluntary; unnecessary

The viewers complained about scenes of gratuitous violence int he movie.

Question 38

gravity

Answer 38

n. seriousness

Perhaps you don’t realize the gravity of the situation.

Question 39

gregarious

Answer 39

adj. sociable

Scientists say that human beings are essentially gregarious.

Question 40

grouse

Answer 40

v. to complain

Stop grousing about having too much work.

Question 41

guile

Answer 41

n. deception, trickery

Jack is a person who seems to be without guile.

Question 42

guileless

Answer 42

adj. free of cunning or deceit; artless

The guileless child is always being taken advantage of by older children.

Question 43

guise

Answer 43

n. outward appearance; false appearance; pretense

Under the assumed guise of an army officer, he gained entry to the enemy base.

Question 44

gullible

Answer 44

adj. easily deceived

The con-man targets people who appear gullible.

Question 45

gustatory

Answer 45

adj. affecting the sense of taste

The restaurant is famous for its gustatory delights.