Lesson 15

Question 1

Complicity (n.)

Answer 1

Syn: partnership in wrongdoing

• Proceedings on the premises that the broker was guilty of complicity in the swindle, the detective followed him surreptitiously.

Question 2

Liquidation (n.)

Answer 2

Syn: disposal of; killing; destroying

• After the liquidation of the gang leader, a mammoth conflict arose among his ambitious lieutenants who aspired to be boss.

Question 3

Culpable (adj.)

Answer 3

Syn: deserving blame; guilty

• Once the incontrovertible evidence was offered, the servant was held culpable in the theft of the jewels.

Question 4

Recant (vi.) (vt.)

Answer 4

Syn: withdraw previous statements; deny; disclaim

• When the clergyman refused to recant his superiors were so nettled that they relegated him to an isolated parish in Alaska.

Question 5

Accomplice (n.)

Answer 5

Syn: an associate in crime; partner

• Although he was judged as a minor accomplice, the driver had actually played an integral part in planning the crime.

Question 6

Woolgathering (idiom.)

Answer 6

Absentmindedness or daydreaming

• When the young genius should have been doing his homework, he was frequently engaged in woolgathering.

Question 7

Preclude (vt.)

Answer 7

Syn: prevent; impede; restrain; prohibit

• The manager was distraught when he realized that the slugger’s sickness would preclude a World Series victory.

Question 8

Alleged (adj.)

Answer 8

Syn: reported; supposed; affirmed

• It is symptomatic of some newspapers that an alleged criminal is regarded in print as guilty.

Question 9

Abrogate (vt.)

Answer 9

Syn: abolish; invalidate

• The wealthy uncle decided to abrogate his inane nephew’s sinecure.

Question 10

Invalidate (vt.)

Answer 10

Syn: to deprive of legal force; to nullify; abrogate

• The general was sure to invalidate the court-martial’s decision once he learned of the flagrant bias of the presiding officer.

Question 11

Access (n.) (vt.)

Answer 11

Syn: admittance; approach

• Once the druggist had been duped into opening the store, the addict gained access to the pep pills.

Question 12

To whitewash (idiom.)

Answer 12

Syn: to conceal defects; to give a falsely virtuous appearance to something

• Many citizens felt that their report would be a whitewash of the culprits.

Question 13

Extrinsic (adj.)

Answer 13

Syn: foreign; coming from outside; outer

• Collectors avidly sought the rare coin for its extrinsic value.

Question 14

Persevere (vi.)

Answer 14

Syn: persist; hold on; insist

• If we persevere, we can overcome many of our inhibitions.

Question 15

Landmark (adj.) (n.)

Answer 15

Syn: historic; turning point of a period; signpost

• The Battle of midway was a landmark victory in the U.S. campaign for ultimate victory over the Japanese in World War Two.

Question 16

Declaim (vi.) (vt.)

Answer 16

Syn: speak loudly; protest; denounce;
[declaim against] به باد انتقاد گرفتن

• I knew that my father declaim against Mother’s choice of ostentatious fabrics.

Question 17

Fetter (vt.)

Answer 17

Syn: to hamper; bind; chain

• The senator inveighed against the policy because he felt it would fetter our Air Force.

Question 18

To break the ice (idiom.)

Answer 18

To make a start by overcoming initial difficulties

• The auto salesman had a poor week, but he finally broke the ice by selling a fully equipped Cadillac.

Question 19

Nomadic (adj.)

Answer 19

Syn: wandering; traveling; roving

• In the desert nomadic tribes wander back and forth, enduring much privation.

Question 20

Paragon (n.)

Answer 20

Syn: model of excellence; ideal; pattern

• The town planners looked upon their utopia as a paragon for other communities.

Question 21

Controversial (adj.)

Answer 21

Syn: debatable; disputable

• Some school principals attempt to repress the publication of controversial editorials.

Question 22

Asperity (n.)

Answer 22

Syn: harshness of temper; intensity

• We were amazed at the display of asperity from our normally phlegmatic neighbor.

Question 23

Epithet (n.)

Answer 23

Syn: descriptive name; label; title

• A bitter quarrel was precipitated when both politicians hurled vile epithets at each other.

Question 24

The grapevine (idiom.)

Answer 24

A secret means of spreading information

• The grapevine has it that Ernie will be elected president of the school’s student council.