Magoosh Basic - VI

Question 1

finagle

Answer 1

verb: achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods

How can I finagle a place on the guest list for the big party?

Question 2

veneer

Answer 2

noun: covering consisting of a thin superficial layer that hides the underlying substance

She managed to hide her corrupt dealings under a veneer of respectability.

Question 3

forthright

Answer 3

adjective: (too) honest or direct in behavior or speech:

I did not expect the insurance agent to give us any straight answers, but I was pleasantly surprised by how forthright he was.

Question 3

lethargic

Answer 3

adjective: lacking energy

Nothing can make a person more lethargic than a big turkey dinner.

Question 4

wanton

Answer 4

adjective: A wanton action deliberately causes harm, damage, or waste without having any reason to.

Due to wanton behavior and crude language, the drunk man was thrown out of the bar and asked to never return.

adjective: If someone describes a woman as wanton, they disapprove of her because she clearly enjoys sex or has sex with a lot of men.

Question 4

presumptuous

Answer 4

adjective: A person who is presumptuous shows little respect for others by doing things they have no right to do:

Many felt that Barney was presumptuous in moving into the large office before the management even made any official announcement of his promotion.

Question 4

analogous

Answer 4

adjective: similar in some respects

In many ways, the Internet’s transformative effect on society has been analogous to that of the printing press.

Question 5

behoove

Answer 5

verb: to be one’s duty or obligation

The teacher looked down at the student and said, “It would behoove you to be in class on time and complete your homework, so that you don’t repeat freshman English for a third straight year.”

Question 6

humdrum

Answer 6

adjective: dull and lacking excitement

Having grown up in a humdrum suburb, Jacob relished life in New York City after moving.

Question 6

prevail

Answer 6

verb: be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current:

During the labor negotiations, an air of hostility prevailed in the office.

verb: to get control or influence:

Before the cricket match, Australia was heavily favored, but India prevailed.

Question 6

preempt

Answer 6

verb: prevent it from happening by doing something that makes it unnecessary or impossible.

A governmental warning about an imminent terrorist attack would preempt ordinary network programming on television.

Question 7

insipid

Answer 7

adjective: dull and uninteresting

The movie director was known for hiring beautiful actors in order to deflect attention away from the insipid scripts he would typically use.

Question 7

conundrum

Answer 7

noun: a difficult problem

Computers have helped solve some of the mathematical conundrums which have puzzled man for many centuries.

Question 7

delegate

Answer 7

verb: to give a particular job, duty, right, etc. to someone else so that they do it for you:

Since the senior manager had to go on many international business trips, she was forced to delegate many of her responsibilities to two lower-level managers.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 8

belittle

Answer 8

verb: lessen the importance, dignity, or reputation of

A good teacher will never belittle his students, but will instead empower them.

Question 8

redress

Answer 8

noun: an act of making something right

Barry’s redress for forgetting his wife’s birthday two years in a row was surprising her with a trip to Tahiti.

Question 9

rakish

Answer 9

adjective: A rakish person or appearance is stylish in a confident, bold way.

As soon as he arrived in the city, the rakish young man bought some drugs and headed straight for the seedy parts of town.

Question 10

buttress

Answer 10

verb: make stronger or defensible

China’s economy has been buttressed by a global demand for the electronic parts the country manufactures.

Question 11

intermittent

Answer 11

adjective: stopping and starting at irregular intervals

The intermittent thunder continued and the night was punctuated by cracks of lightning—a surreal sleepless night.

Question 11

melancholy

Answer 11

noun: sad:

Hamlet is a figure of tremendous melancholy: he doesn’t have a truly cheerful scene throughout the entire play.

Question 11

begrudge

Answer 11

verb: to envy someone for possessing or enjoying something

Sitting all alone in his room, Harvey begrudged the happiness of the other children playing outside his window.

verb: to allow or give unwillingly:

He’s worked every weekend for the last three months, so you can’t begrudge him a little time off now..

Question 12

piquant

Answer 12

adjective: having an agreeably pungent taste

The chef, with a mere flick of the salt shaker, turned the bland tomato soup into a piquant meal.

adjective: interesting and exciting, especially because of being mysterious:

example: More piquant details of their private life were revealed.

Question 12

tribulation

Answer 12

noun: a problem or difficulty

As of 2013, nearly 1.5 million Syrians have fled their country hoping to escape the tribulations of a civil war tearing their country to pieces.

Question 12

glean

Answer 12

verb: collect information bit by bit

Herb has given us no formal statement about his background, but from various hints, I have gleaned that he grew up in difficult circumstances.

Question 13

irascible

Answer 13

adjective: quickly aroused to anger

If Arthur’s dog is not fed adequately, he becomes highly irascible, even growling at his own shadow.

Question 13

emulate

Answer 13

verb: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have:

To really become fluent in a new language, emulate the speech patterns of people who speak the language.

Question 13

incense

Answer 13

verb: make furious

When Herb bought football tickets for a game on the day of their wedding anniversary, Jill was incensed.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 13

foolhardy

Answer 13

adjective: brave in a silly way, taking unnecessary risks:

The police regularly face dangerous situations, so for a police officer not to wear his bullet-proof vest is foolhardy.

Question 14

profusion

Answer 14

noun: an extremely large amount of something:

When Maria reported that she had been visited by Jesus Christ and had proof, a profusion of reporters and journalists descended on the town.

Question 14

consecrate

Answer 14

verb: to officially make something holy and able to be used for religious ceremonies:

At the church of Notre Dame in France, the new High Altar was consecrated in 1182.

Question 14

incumbent

Answer 14

adjective: If it is incumbent upon you to do something, it is your duty or responsibility to do it.

Middle managers at times make important decisions, but real responsibility for the financial well-being of the corporation is ultimately incumbent on the CEO.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

noun: An incumbent is someone who holds an official post at a particular time.

the first/last/previous incumbent

Question 14

ascribe

Answer 14

verb: attribute or credit to

History ascribes The Odyssey and The Iliad to Homer, but scholars now debate whether he was a historical figure or a fictitious name.

Question 14

implicate

Answer 14

verb: To implicate someone means to show or claim that they were involved in something wrong or criminal.

The crime boss was implicated for a long list of crimes, ranging from murder to disturbing the peace.

Question 15

cavalier

Answer 15

adjective: not considering other people’s feelings or safety:
That’s a rather cavalier attitude.

Question 15

besmirch

Answer 15

verb: damage the good name and reputation of someone

The prince’s distasteful choice of words besmirched not only his own name but also the reputation of the entire royal family.

Question 15

precarious

Answer 15

adjective: in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being held in place firmly:

The truck was lodged in a very precarious way, with its front wheels hanging over the cliff.

adjective: A precarious situation is likely to get worse:
Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a precarious financial position.

Question 15

uncanny

Answer 15

adjective: strange or mysterious, often in a way that is slightly frightening:

Reggie has an uncanny ability to connect with animals: feral cats will readily approach him, and sometimes even wild birds will land on his finger.

Question 15

cohesive

Answer 15

adjective: well integrated, forming a united whole

A well-written, cohesive essay will keep on topic at all times, never losing sight of the main argument.

Question 15

evenhanded

Answer 15

adjective: without partiality

Teachers often have trouble being evenhanded to all of their varied students.

Question 16

coalesce

Answer 16

verb: come or grow together to form one thing or system.

Over time, the various tribes coalesced into a single common culture with one universal language.

Question 16

docile

Answer 16

adjective: easily handled or managed; willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed

Barnyard animals are considerably more docile than the wild animals.

Question 16

deride

Answer 16

verb: treat or speak of with contempt

The nun derided the students for trying to sneak insects and worms into the classroom.

Question 16

cerebral

Answer 16

adjective: involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct

A cerebral analysis of most pop music finds it to be simple and childish, but that ignores the point–the music’s effect on the listener.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 16

clemency

Answer 16

noun: leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice

In the final moments of the trial, during his closing speech, Phillips was nearly begging the judge for clemency.

Question 16

antedate

Answer 16

verb: precede in time

Harry was so unknowledgeable that he was unaware the Egyptian pharaohs antedated the American Revolution.

Question 16

industrious

Answer 16

adjective: characterized by hard work and perseverance

Pete was an industrious student, completing every assignment thoroughly and on time.

Question 16

fawn

Answer 16

verb: to give someone a lot of attention and praise in order to get that person’s approval:

The media fawned over the handsome new CEO, praising his impeccable sense of style instead of asking more pointed questions.
This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

Question 16

rile

Answer 16

verb: to make someone angry or annoy someone

Dan is usually calm and balanced, but it takes only one intense glare from Sabrina to rile him.

Question 16

avert

Answer 16

verb: turn away

Afraid to see the aftermath of the car crash, I averted my eyes as we drove by.

verb: ward off or prevent

The struggling video game company put all of its finances into one final, desperate project to avert bankruptcy.

Question 16

eccentric

Answer 16

adjective: strange or unusual, sometimes in a humorous way:

Mozart was well-known for his eccentricities, often speaking words backward to confuse those around him.