Lesson 12

Question 1

Diatribe (n.)

Answer 1

Syn: bitter criticism; abuse; reproof

• When a large expenditure is imminent, my father goes into a long diatribe on the need for economy.

Question 2

Ilk (n.)

Answer 2

Syn: kind, sort

• It is often fruitless to argue with racist, bigots, and others of that ilk.

Question 3

Incoherent (adj.)

Answer 3

Syn: disjointed; confused; disordered

• Since the patient’s speech was garbled and incoherent, we could only conjecture as to his message.

Question 4

Fortuitous (adj.)

Answer 4

Syn: accidental; random

• The meeting was a fortuitous one, but the jealous husband construed it as pre-arranged and clandestine.

Question 5

Inhibition (n.)

Answer 5

Syn: restraint; shyness

• After two drinks the usually phlegmatic dentist lost all his inhibitions.

Question 6

To wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve (idiom)

Answer 6

To make one’s feelings evident

• People who wear their heart on their sleeves frequently suffer emotional upset.

Question 7

Placard (n.) (vt.)

Answer 7

Syn: poster; notice

• The police posted a Placard asking all citizens to desist from looting.

Question 8

Prestigious (adj.)

Answer 8

Syn: illustrious; important

• A salient feature of the prestigious company’s success was its fair treatment of employees.

Question 9

Remuneration (n.)

Answer 9

Syn: reward; pay

• Derek Jeter’s remuneration from the New York Yankees made him a millionaire many times over.

Question 10

Nominal (adj.)

Answer 10

Syn: slight; trivial; in name only

• For allowing his ferocious mastiff to appear on a commercial, the trainer was paid a nominal sum.

Question 11

Integral (adj.)

Answer 11

Syn: essential; necessary

• She seemed to be an unimportant member of the president entourage but actually she played an integral role in White House affairs.

Question 12

To wash dirty linen in public (idiom)

Answer 12

To openly discuss private affairs

• “Let’s talk about it privately,” his uncle said, “rather than wash our dirty linen in public”.

Question 13

Utopia (n.)

Answer 13

Syn: place of perfection; heaven

• In Lost Horizon a character recoiled at the idea of living in a utopia.

Question 14

Schism (n.)

Answer 14

Syn: split; break

• A pernicious schism developed between the two sisters.

Question 15

Anathema (n.)

Answer 15

Syn: something greatly detested; aversion

• The traitor’s name was anathema in his father’s domicile.

Question 16

Flamboyant (adj.)

Answer 16

Syn: showy; colorful

• Our theatrical pages were inundated with press releases from the flamboyant producer.

Question 17

Expunge (vt.)

Answer 17

Syn: erase: delete; remove

• After having made the rash statement, senator wished that he could expunge them from the record.

Question 18

To save face (idiom)

Answer 18

To avoid disgrace

• They allowed him to retire in order that he might save face.

Question 19

Truncated (adj.)

Answer 19

Syn: cut short; curtailed

• It is frustrating to have one’s lengthy remarks pointed in truncated form.

Question 20

Jaunty (adj.)

Answer 20

Syn: sprightly; happy

• With his cap set at a jaunty angle, the amicable sailor strutted down the street.

Question 21

Ostentatious (adj.)

Answer 21

Syn: showy; flashy

• In an ostentatious display of histrionics the star refused to perform.

Question 22

Timorous (adj.)

Answer 22

Syn: fearful; afraid; frightened

• Under duress the normally timorous husband was coerced into demanding a raise.

Question 23

Fractious (adj.)

Answer 23

Syn: quarrelsome

• Roger’s fractious behavior compounded the bad relationship he had already had with his partner.

Question 24

Indian summer (idiom.)

Answer 24

Warm autumn weather

• Parts of the country were deep in snow, but the East was enjoying an Indian summer.