Lesson 04 (with audio)

Question 1

celibate

(sĕlʹ ǝ bĭt)

Answer 1

• (noun)* unmarried
• (adj.)* abstaining from sex

Priests that are celibates.

In that religion, the priests take vows to remain impoverished and celibate.

Question 2

censure

(sĕnʹ shǝr)

Answer 2

(verb) to criticize sharply

Congress voted to censure the young congressman because of his unethical behavior.

• syn: blame, condemn, reproach*
• ant: praise, applaud*

Question 3

cessation

(sĕ sāʹ shǝn)

Answer 3

(noun) a stopping; a discontinuance

Although there was a cessation in the hostilities, no one doubted that the battle would resume the next day.

• syn: a pause, a ceasing*
• ant: a beginning, a commencement*

Question 4

chaff

(chaf)

Answer 4

(noun) worthless matter

“Give me just the facts,” the professor said. “Separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Question 5

chagrin

(shǝ grĭnʹ)

Answer 5

(noun) embarrassment; a complete loss of courage

Joanne had never felt such chagrin as the time when she fell into the mud puddle in front of her fiancée’s family.

Question 6

chimerical

(kǝ mĕrʹ ĭ kǝl)

Answer 6

(adj.) imaginary; fantastic

Although they laughed at his plans and called them chimerical, later events proved him to be a visionary.

• syn: absurd, illusionary*
• ant: practical*

Question 7

coalesce

(kō ǝ lĕsʹ)

Answer 7

(verb) to blend, to merge

The anti-war group was made up of such different personalities that it took months before they could coalesce into a group that had some power.

• syn: mix, unite, combine*
• ant: separate, divide*

Question 8

debacle

(dā bäʹ kǝl)

Answer 8

(noun) a complete failure; a total collapse

After reading the reviews, the actors knew the play was a debacle and would close in one night.

• syn: a sudden disaster*
• ant: success, triumph*

Question 9

debauchery

(dĭ bôʹ chǝ rē)

Answer 9

(noun) corruption; self-indulgence

He lived a life sunk in sin and debauchery.

syn: excess, dissipation

Question 10

deference

(dĕfʹ ǝr ǝns)

Answer 10

(noun) respect; consideration

In deference to the young widow, we moved quietly aside and allowed her to leave first.

• syn: regard, honor*
• ant: contempt*

Question 11

defile

(dĭ fīlʹ)

Answer 11

(verb) to pollute, to corrupt

The oil spill was of concern to the populace because it was bound to defile the streams and rivers for miles around.

Question 12

deign

(dān)

Answer 12

(verb) to lower oneself before an inferior

“After what she did to me, I would not deign to say hello to her,” Mary said to Joe about her former best friend.

syn: stoop, condescend

Question 13

delineate

(dĭ lĭnʹ ē āt)

Answer 13

(verb) to describe, to depict

The politician went on to delineate his proposal on disarmament in greater detail.

Question 14

demeanor

(dĭ mēʹ nǝr)

Answer 14

(noun) behavior; manner of conducting oneself

Believe me, his shy demeanor is just an act; he is really quite wild.

syn: deportment

Question 15

denouement

(dā nōō mänʹ)

Answer 15

(noun) an outcome, result

Hazel prided herself on being able to solve mysteries; but the story she was reading was elusive, and the denouement didn’t come until the final page.

syn: conclusion