Lesson 1

Question 1

jingoist

Answer 1

One who boasts about his patriotism and favors a warlike foreign policy.

The sensor lost because his constituents rejected his jingoistic policies.

Question 2

lothario

Answer 2

rake; seducer; lover

The aging playboy thought of himself as a sophisticated lothario.

I tried out for the role of the young lothario, but they cast me as the butler.

Question 3

maverick

Answer 3

one who acts independently

The president said that he didn’t want yes-man or mavericks in his cabinet.

Question 4

nemesis

Answer 4

agent of retribution; just punishment

Math is my nemesis, constantly reminding me that I’m not as bright as I think I am. (loljk)

Question 5

philanderer

Answer 5

one who makes love insincerely; one who engages in passing love affairs

When Mrs. Greene wanted to find out if her husband was a philanderer, she hired a dectective.

Question 6

philippic

Answer 6

bitter verbal attack

My philippic against higher taxes was reported on the local radio station.

Question 7

procrustean

Answer 7

designed to secure conformity; drastic.

Our mayor takes various suggestions and give them a procrustean treatment to fit his philosophy.

Question 8

protean

Answer 8

changeable; taking on different forms

I resent your protean propensity for changing your mind whenever you feel like it.

Question 9

Pyrrhic (victory)

Answer 9

a victory that is exceptionally costly

The workers seemed to triumph at the end of the strike but it was a Pyrrhic victory.

Question 10

quixotic

Answer 10

romantically idealistic; impractical

The City Planning Commission’s ideas were labeled quixotic by the skeptical editors.

Question 11

saturnine

Answer 11

sluggish; gloomy; grave

Uncle Dave’s constant saturnine expression drove my lively Aunt Pearl up the wall

Question 12

solecism

Answer 12

Substandard use of words; violation of good manners

There are some word forms that my teacher rejects as solecisms but I feel are acceptable.

Question 13

spoonerism

Answer 13

An unintentional exchange of sounds

My cousin collects spoonerisms that he hears on the raio, and he hopes to publish them

Question 14

sybarite

Answer 14

One who is fond of luxury and soft living

Ruby was criticized for living as a sybarite while others of his family were starving

Question 15

tawdry

Answer 15

cheap; gaudy; showy

Marlene’s tawdry taste in clothing was an embarrassment to her boyfriend