SAT-3000-4 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

elliptical

A

ADJ. oval; ambiguous either purposely or because key words have been left out. An elliptical billiard ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

eloquence

A

N. expressiveness; persuasive speech. The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King’s eloquence. elo¬quentADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

elucidate

A

V. explain; enlighten. He was called upon to elu¬cidate the disputed points in his article.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

elusive

A

ADJ. evasive; baffling; hard to grasp. Trying to pin down exactly when the contractors would be finished remodeling the house Nancy was frustrated by their elusive replies. eludeV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

emaciated

A

ADJ. thin and wasted. His long period of starva¬tion had left him emaciated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

emanate

A

V. issue forth. A strong odor of sulphur emanated from the spring.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

emancipate

A

V. set free. At first the attempts of the Aboli¬tionists to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

embargo

A

N. ban on commerce or other activity. As a result of the embargo trade with the colonies was at a standstill.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

embark

A

V. commence; go on board a boat or airplane; begin a journey. In devoting herself to the study of gorillas Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

embed

A

V. enclose; place in something. Tales of actual his¬torical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

embellish

A

V. adorn; ornament. The costume designer embellished the leading lady’s ball gown with yards and yards of ribbon and lace.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

embezzlement

A

N. stealing. The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

embody

A

V. personify; make concrete; incorporate. Cheer¬ing on his rival Mark McGwire’s efforts to break Roger Maris’s home run record Sammy Sosa embodied the spirit of true sportsmanship.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

embrace

A

V. hug; adopt or espouse; accept readily; encir¬cle; include. Clasping Maid Marian in his arms Robin Hood embraced her lovingly. In joining the outlaws in Sherwood Forest she had openly embraced their cause.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

embroider

A

V. decorate with needlework; ornament with fancy or fictitious details. For her mother’s birthday Beth embroidered a lovely design on a handkerchief. When asked what made her late getting home Jo embroidered her account with tales of runaway horses and rescuing peo¬ple from a ditch. embroidery N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

embroil

A

V. throw into confusion; involve in strife; entangle. He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

embryonic

A

ADJ. undeveloped; rudimentary. The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embry¬onic state; otherwise it may grow to dangerous proportions. emend V. correct; correct by a critic. The critic emended the book by selecting the passages which he thought most appropriate to the text.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

emendation

A

N. correction of errors; improvement. Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

eminent

A

ADJ. high; lofty. After his appointment to this emi¬nent position he seldom had time for his former friends.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

emissary

A

N. agent; messenger. The secretary of state was sent as the president’s special emissary to the conference on disarmament.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

emollient

A

N. soothing or softening remedy. The nurse applied an emollientto the inflamed area. alsoADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

empathy

A

N. ability to identify with another’s feelings ideas etc. What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empa¬thy her ability to put herself in her client’s place and feel his emotions as if they were her own. empathizeV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

empirical

A

ADJ. based on experience. He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

emulate

A

V. imitate; rival. In a brief essay describe a person you admire someone whose virtues you would like to emulate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

enamored

A

ADJ. in love. Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

encipher

A

V. encode; convert a message into code. One of Bond’s first lessons was how to encipher the messages he sent to Miss Moneypenny so that none of his other lady friends could decipher them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

enclave

A

N. territory enclosed within an alien land. The Vati¬can is an independent enclave in Italy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

encomium

A

N. high praise; eulogy. Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

encompass

A

V. surround. Although we were encompassed by enemy forces we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

encroachment

A

N. /;”“/gradual intrusion. The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

encumber

A

V. burden. Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage when they take short trips.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

endearment

A

N. fond statement. Your gifts and endear¬ments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

endemic

A

ADJ. prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country. This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the popula¬tion are at one time or another affected by it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

endorse

A

V. approve; support. Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse. (secondary meaning) endorsement N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

enduring

A

ADJ. lasting; surviving. Keats believed in the enduring power of great art which would outlast its cre¬ators’ brief lives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

energize

A

V. invigorate; make forceful and active. Rather than exhausting Maggie dancing energized her.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

enervate

A

V. weaken. She was slow to recover from her ill¬ness; even a short walk to the window would enervate her.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

enfranchise

A

V. to admit to the rights of citizenship (espe¬cially the right to vote). Although Blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

engage

A

V. attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront. “Your case has engaged my interest my lord said Holmes. You may engage my services.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

engaging

A

ADJ. charming; attractive. Everyone liked Nancy’s pleasant manners and engaging personality.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

engender

A

V. cause; produce. To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

engross

A

V. occupy fully. John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

enhance

A

V. increase; improve. You can enhance your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice by learning to write well; an excellent essay can enhance any application.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

enigma

A

N. puzzle; mystery. “What do women want” asked Dr. Sigmund Freud. Their behavior was an enigma to him.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

enigmatic

A

ADJ. obscure; puzzling. Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

enmity

A

N. ill will; hatred. At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented the peaceful coexistence of Egypt and Israel.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

ennui

A

N. boredom. The monotonous routine of hospital life induced a feeling of ennui that made him moody and irritable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

enormity

A

N. hugeness (in a bad sense). He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

enrapture

A

V. please intensely. The audience was enrap¬tured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

ensconce

A

V. settle comfortably. Now that their children were ensconced safely in the private school the jet-setting parents decided to leave for Europe.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

ensemble

A

N. group of (supporting) players; organic unity; costume. As a dancer with the Oakland Ballet Benjamin enjoyed being part of the ensemble. Having acted with one another for well over a decade the cast members have developed a true sense of ensemble: They work together seamlessly. Mitzi wore a charming two-piece ensemble designed by Donna Karan.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

entail

A

V. require; necessitate; involve. Building a college¬level vocabulary will entail some work on your part.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

enterprising

A

ADJ. full of initiative. By coming up with fresh ways to market the company’s products Mike proved him¬self to be an enterprising businessman.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

enthrall

A

V. capture; enslave. From the moment he saw her picture he was enthralled by her beauty.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

entice

A

V. lure; attract; tempt. She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

entitlement

A

N. right to claim something; right to benefits. While Bill was entitled to use a company car while he worked for the firm the company’s lawyers questioned his entitlement to the vehicle once he’d quit his job.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

entity

A

N. real being. As soon as the Charter was adopted the United Nations became an entity and had to be consid¬ered as a factor in world diplomacy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

entomology

A

N. study of insects. Kent found entomology the most annoying part of his biology course; studying insects bugged him.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

entourage

A

N. group of attendants; retinue. Surrounded by the members of his entourage the mayor hurried into city hall shouting a brusque “No comment!” to the reporters lin¬ing the steps.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

entrance

A

V. put under a spell; carry away with emotion. Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

entreat

A

V. plead; ask earnestly. She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

entrepreneur

A

N. businessman; contractor. Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepre¬neurs from trying new fields of business activity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

enumerate

A

V. list; mention one by one. Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

enunciate

A

V. speak distinctly. Stop mumbling! How will people understand you if you do not enunciate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

eon

A

N. long period of time; an age. It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

ephemeral

A

ADJ. short-lived; fleeting. The mayfly is an ephemeral creature: its adult life lasts little more than a day.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

epic

A

N. long heroic poem or similar work of art. Kuro¬sawa’s film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the strug¬gle of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers. alsoADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

epicure

A

N. connoisseur of food and drink. Epicures fre¬quent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes. epicureanADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

epigram

A

N. witty thought or saying usually short. Poor Richard’s epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

epilogue

A

N. short speech at conclusion of dramatic work. The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

episodic

A

ADJ. loosely connected; divided into incidents. Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity’s Rainbow John found the novel too episodic; he enjoyed individual pas¬sages but had trouble following the work as a whole.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

epistolary

A

ADJ. consisting of letters. Mark Harris’s Wake Up Stupid! is a modern epistolary novel that uses letters telegrams and newspaper clippings to tell the hero’s story. The movie You’ve Got Mail tells a story using e-mail; does that make it an e-pistolary movie epistle N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

epitaph

A

N. inscription in memory of a dead person. In his will he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tomb¬stone.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

epithet

A

N. word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing. So many kings of France were named Charles that you could tell them apart only by their epithets: Charles the Wise was someone far different from Charles the Fat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

epitome

A

N. perfect example or embodiment. Singing “I am the very model of a modern Major-General in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

epoch

A

N. period of time. The glacial epoch lasted for thou¬sands of years.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

equable

A

ADJ. tranquil; steady; uniform. After the hot sum¬mers and cold winters of New England he found the cli¬mate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

equanimity

A

N. calmness of temperament; composure. Even the inevitable strains of caring for an ailing mother did not disturb Bea’s equanimity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

equestrian

A

N. rider on horseback. These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds. alsoADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

equilibrium

A

N. balance. After the divorce he needed some time to regain his equilibrium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

equine

A

ADJ. resembling a horse. His long bony face had an equine look to it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

equinox

A

N. period of equal days and nights; the beginning of Spring and Autumn. The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

equitable

A

ADJ. fair; impartial. I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute one that will be fair and acceptable to both sides.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

equity

A

N. fairness; justice. Our courts guarantee equity to all.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

equivocal

A

ADJ. ambiguous; intentionally misleading. Rejecting the candidate’s equivocal comments on tax reform the reporters pressed him to state clearly where he stood on the issue. equivocateV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

equivocate

A

V. lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth. The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

erode

A

V. eat away. The limestone was eroded by the drip¬ping water until only a thin shell remained. erosion N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

erotic

A

ADJ. pertaining to passionate love. The erotic pas¬sages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
89
Q

erratic

A

ADJ. odd; unpredictable. Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
90
Q

erroneous

A

ADJ. mistaken; wrong. I thought my answer was correct but it was erroneous.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
91
Q

erudite

A

ADJ. learned; scholarly. Though his fellow students thought him erudite Paul knew he would have to spend many years in serious study before he could consider him¬self a scholar.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
92
Q

escapade

A

N. prank; flighty conduct. The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
93
Q

escapism

A

N. avoiding reality by diverting oneself with amusements. Before you criticize her constant reading as mere escapism note how greatly her vocabulary has improved since she began spending her days buried in books.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
94
Q

eschew

A

V. avoid. Hoping to present himself to his girlfriend as a totally reformed character he tried to eschew all the vices especially chewing tobacco and drinking bathtub gin.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
95
Q

esoteric

A

ADJ. hard to understand; known only to the cho¬sen few. The New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-crowd you’ll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland you won’t.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
96
Q

espionage

A

N. Spying. In order to maintain its power the government developed a system of espionage that pene¬trated every household.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
97
Q

espouse

A

V. adopt; support. She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
98
Q

esteem

A

V. respect; value. Jill esteemed Jack’s taste in music but she deplored his taste in clothes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
99
Q

estranged

A

ADJ. separated; alienated. The estranged wife sought a divorce. estrangement N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
100
Q

ethereal

A

ADJ. light; heavenly; unusually refined. In Shake¬speare’s The Tempest the spirit Ariel is an ethereal crea¬ture too airy and unearthly for our mortal world.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
101
Q

ethnic

A

ADJ. relating to races. Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of infor¬mation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
102
Q

ethos

A

N. underlying character of a culture group etc. Seeing how tenderly ordinary Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
103
Q

etymology

A

N. study of word parts. A knowledge of etymol¬ogy can help you on many English tests: if you know what the roots and prefixes mean you can determine the mean¬ings of unfamiliar words.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
104
Q

eulogy

A

N. expression of praise often on the occasion of someone’s death. Instead of delivering a spoken eulogy at Genny’s memorial service Jeff sang a song he had written in her honor.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
105
Q

euphemism

A

N. mild expression in place of an unpleasant one. The expression “he passed away” is a euphemism for “he died.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
106
Q

euphonious

A

ADJ. pleasing in sound. Euphonious even when spoken the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung. euphony. N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
107
Q

euphoria

A

N. feeling of great happiness and well-being (sometimes exaggerated). Delighted with her SAT scores sure that the university would accept her Allison was filled with euphoria. euphoricADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
108
Q

evanescent

A

ADJ. fleeting; vanishing. Brandon’s satisfaction in his new job was evanescent for he immediately began to notice its many drawbacks. evanescence N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
109
Q

evasive

A

ADJ. not frank; eluding. Your evasive answers con¬vinced the judge that you were withholding important evi¬dence. evadeV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
110
Q

evenhanded

A

ADJ. impartial; fair. Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers or as recent studies suggest do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
111
Q

evince

A

V. show clearly. When he tried to answer the ques¬tions he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
112
Q

evocative

A

ADJ. tending to call up (emotions memories). Scent can be remarkably evocative: the aroma of pipe tobacco evokes the memory of my father; a whiff of talcum powder calls up images of my daughter as a child.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
113
Q

ewe

A

N. female sheep. The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes together with only a handful of rams.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
114
Q

exacerbate

A

V. worsen; embitter. The latest bombing exac¬erbated England’s already existing bitterness against the IRA causing the prime minister to break off the peace talks abruptly.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
115
Q

exacting

A

ADJ. extremely demanding. Cleaning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an exacting task one that demanded extremely meticulous care on the part of the restorers. exaction N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
116
Q

exalt

A

V. raise in rank or dignity; praise. The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the queen.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
117
Q

exasperate

A

V. vex. Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
118
Q

exceptionable

A

ADJ. objectionable. Do you find the punk rock band Green Day a highly exceptionable thoroughly distasteful group or do you think they are exceptionally tal¬ented performers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
119
Q

excerpt

A

N. selected passage (written or musical). The cin¬ematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. alsoV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
120
Q

excise

A

V. cut away; cut out. When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree you not only improve its appear¬ance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit. exci¬sion. N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
121
Q

exclaim

A

V. cry out suddenly. “Watson! Behind you!” Holmes exclaimed seeing the assassin hurl himself on his friend.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
122
Q

excoriate

A

V. scold with biting harshness; strip the skin off. Seeing the holes in Bill’s new pants his mother furiously excoriated him for ruining his good clothes. The tight starched collar chafed and excoriated his neck rubbing it raw.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
123
Q

exculpate

A

V. clear from blame. He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
124
Q

execrable

A

ADJ. very bad. The anecdote was in such exe¬crable taste that it revolted the audience.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
125
Q

execute

A

V. put into effect; carry out. The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette. (sec¬ondary meaning) execution N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
126
Q

exegesis

A

N. explanation; interpretation especially of a bib¬lical text. The minister based her sermon on her exegesis of a difficult passage from the book of Job. exegeticalADJ.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
127
Q

exemplary

A

ADJ. /;;()/serving as a model; outstanding. At com¬mencement the dean praised Ellen for her exemplary behavior as class president.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
128
Q

exemplify

A

V. serve as an example of; embody. For a gen¬eration of balletgoers Rudolf Nureyev exemplified the ideal of masculine grace.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
129
Q

exempt

A

ADJ. not subject to a duty obligation. Because of his flat feet Foster was exempt from serving in the armed forces. alsoV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
130
Q

exertion

A

N. effort; expenditure of much physical work. The exertion spent in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
131
Q

exhaustive

A

ADJ. thorough; comprehensive. We have made an exhaustive study of all published SAT tests and are happy to share our research with you.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
132
Q

exhilarating

A

ADJ. invigorating and refreshing; cheering. Though some of the hikers found tramping through the snow tiring Jeffrey found the walk on the cold crisp day exhilarating.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
133
Q

exhort

A

V. urge. The evangelist exhorted all the sinners in his audience to reform. exhortation N.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
134
Q

exhume

A

V. dig out of the ground; remove from the grave. Could evidence that might identify the serial killer have been buried with his victim To answer this question the police asked the authorities for permission to exhume the victim’s body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
135
Q

exigency

A

N. urgent situation. In this exigency we must look for aid from our allies.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
136
Q

exodus

A

N. departure. The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly noticeable on Friday evenings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
137
Q

exonerate

A

V. acquit; exculpate. The defense team fever¬ishly sought fresh evidence that might exonerate their client.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
138
Q

exorbitant

A

ADJ. excessive. The people grumbled at his exor¬bitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
139
Q

exorcise

A

V. drive out evil spirits. By incantation and prayer the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits which had taken possession of the young warrior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
140
Q

exotic

A

ADJ. not native; strange. Because of his exotic headdress he was followed in the streets by small children who laughed at his strange appearance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
141
Q

expansive

A

ADJ. outgoing and sociable; broad and exten¬sive; able to increase in size. Mr. Fezziwig was in an expan¬sive humor cheerfully urging his guests to join in the Christmas feast. Looking down on his expansive paunch he sighed: if his belly expanded any further he’d need an expansive waistline for his pants.

142
Q

expatriate

A

N. exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land. Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England.

143
Q

expedient

A

ADJ. suitable; practical; politic. A pragmatic politician he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical. expediency N.

144
Q

expedite

A

V. hasten. Because we are on a tight schedule we hope you will be able to expedite the delivery of our order. The more expeditious your response is the happier we’ll be.

145
Q

expenditure

A

N. payment or expense; output. When you are operating on an expense account you must keep receipts for all your expenditures. If you don’t save your receipts you won’t get repaid without the expenditure of a lot of energy arguing with the firm’s accountants.

146
Q

expertise

A

N. specialized knowledge; expert skill. Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields she was hired for her particular expertise in computer programming.

147
Q

expiate

A

V. make amends for (a sin). He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the authorities.

148
Q

expletive

A

N. interjection; profane oath. The sergeant’s remarks were filled with expletives that offended the new recruits.

149
Q

explicate

A

V. explain; interpret; clarify. Harry Levin expli¬cated James Joyce’s often bewildering novels with such clarity that even Finnegan’s Wake seemed comprehensible to his students.

150
Q

explicit

A

ADJ. totally clear; definite; outspoken. Don’t just hint around that you’re dissatisfied: be explicit about what’s bugging you.

151
Q

exploit

A

N. deed or action particularly a brave deed. Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews from Hitler’s forces.

152
Q

exploit

A

V. make use of sometimes unjustly. Cesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in California. exploitation N. exploitativeADJ.

153
Q

expository

A

ADJ. explanatory; serving to explain. The man¬ual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of exposi¬tory prose: its explanations were so garbled that I couldn’t even figure out how to rewind a tape. exposition N.

154
Q

exposure

A

N. /;()/risk particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open. Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered her face. She looked so changed that she no longer feared exposure as the notorious Irene Adler one¬time antagonist of Sherlock Holmes.

155
Q

expropriate

A

V. take possession of. He questioned the gov¬ernment’s right to expropriate his land to create a wildlife preserve.

156
Q

expunge

A

V. cancel; remove. If you behave I will expunge this notation from your record.

157
Q

expurgate

A

V. clean; remove offensive parts of a book. The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be expurgated before it could be used in the classroom.

158
Q

extant

A

ADJ. still in existence. Although the book is out of print some copies are still extant. Unfortunately all of them are in libraries or private collections; none are for sale.

159
Q

extent

A

N. degree; magnitude; scope. What is the extentof the patient’s injuries If they are not too extensive we can treat him on an outpatient basis.

160
Q

extenuate

A

V. weaken; mitigate. It is easier for us to extenu¬ate our own shortcomings than those of others.

161
Q

extol

A

V. praise; glorify. The president extolled the astro¬nauts calling them the pioneers of the Space Age.

162
Q

extort

A

V. wring from; get money by threats etc. The black¬mailer extorted money from his victim.

163
Q

extradition

A

N. surrender of prisoner by one state to another. The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds that for more than five years he had been a model citizen.

164
Q

extraneous

A

ADJ. not essential; superfluous. No wonder Ted can’t think straight! His mind is so cluttered up with extraneous trivia he can’t concentrate on the essentials.

165
Q

extrapolation

A

N. projection; conjecture. Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday the networks predicted that Bob Dole would be the Republican candidate for the presidency. extrapolateV.

166
Q

extricate

A

V. free; disentangle. Icebreakers were needed to extricate the trapped whales from the icy floes that closed them in.

167
Q

extrinsic

A

ADJ. external; not essential; extraneous. A critically acclaimed extrinsic feature of the Chrysler Building is its ornate spire. The judge would not admit the testimony ruling that it was extrinsic to the matter at hand….

168
Q

extrovert

A

N. person interested mostly in external objects and actions. A good salesman is usually an extrovert who likes to mingle with people.

169
Q

extrude

A

V. force or push out. Much pressure is required to extrude these plastics.

170
Q

exuberance

A

N. overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness. I was bowled over by the exuberance of Amy’s welcome. What an enthusiastic greeting!

171
Q

exude

A

V. discharge; give forth. We get maple syrup from the sap that exudes from the trees in early spring. exudation N.

172
Q

exult

A

V. rejoice. We exulted when our team won the victory.

173
Q

fabricate

A

V. build; lie. If we fabricate the buildings in this project out of standardized sections we can reduce construction costs considerably. Because of Jack’s tendency to fabricate Jill had trouble believing a word he said.

174
Q

facade

A

N. front (of building); superficial or false appearance. The ornate facade of the church was often photographed by tourists who never bothered to walk around the building to view its other sides. Susan seemed super-confident but that was just a facade she put on to hide her insecurity.

175
Q

facet

A

N. small plane surface (of a gem); a side. The stone¬cutter decided to improve the rough diamond by providing it with several facets.

176
Q

facetious

A

ADJ. joking (often inappropriately); humorous. I’m serious about this project; I don’t need any facetious smart¬alecky cracks about do-gooder little rich girls.

177
Q

facile

A

ADJ. easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superfi¬cial. Words came easily to Jonathan: he was a facile speaker and prided himself on being ready to make a speech at a moment’s notice.

178
Q

facilitate

A

V. help bring about; make less difficult. Rest and proper nourishment should facilitate the patient’s recovery.

179
Q

facsimile

A

N. COPY. Many museums sell facsimiles of the works of art on display.

180
Q

faction

A

N. party; clique; dissension. The quarrels and bick¬ering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.

181
Q

faculty

A

N. mental or bodily powers; teaching staff. As he grew old Professor Twiggly feared he might lose his facul¬ties and become unfit to teach. However he had tenure: whether or not he was in full possession of his faculties the school couldn’t kick him off the faculty.

182
Q

fallacious

A

ADJ. false; misleading. Paradoxically fallacious reasoning does not always yield erroneous results: even though your logic may be faulty the answer you get may nevertheless be correct. fallacy N.

183
Q

fallible

A

ADJ. liable to err. I know I am fallible but I feel con¬fident that I am right this time.

184
Q

fallow

A

ADJ. plowed but not sowed; uncultivated. Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to lie fallow every few years.

185
Q

falter

A

V. hesitate. When told to dive off the high board she did not falter but proceeded at once.

186
Q

fanaticism

A

N. excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause. When Islamic fundamentalists demanded the death of Salman Rushdie because his novel questioned their faith world opinion condemned them for their fanati¬cism.

187
Q

fancy

A

N. notion; whim; inclination. Martin took a fancy to paint his toenails purple. Assuming he would outgrow such fanciful behavior his parents ignored his fancy feet. alsoADJ.

188
Q

fanfare

A

N. call by bugles or trumpets. The exposition was opened with a fanfare of trumpets and the firing of cannon.

189
Q

farce

A

N. broad comedy; mockery. Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce. farcicalADJ.

190
Q

fastidious

A

ADJ. difficult to please; squeamish. Bobby was such a fastidious eater that he would eat a sandwich only if his mother first cut off every scrap of crust.

191
Q

fatalism

A

N. belief that events are determined by forces beyond one’s control. With fatalism he accepted the hard¬ships that beset him. fatalisticADJ.

192
Q

fathom

A

V. comprehend; investigate. I find his motives impossible to fathom; in fact I’m totally clueless about what goes on in his mind.

193
Q

fatuous

A

ADJ. foolish; inane. He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.

194
Q

fauna

A

N. animals of a period or region. The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.

195
Q

fawning

A

ADJ. courting favor by cringing and flattering. She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who hoped to win some favor. fawnV.

196
Q

faze

A

V. disconcert; dismay. No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager.

197
Q

feasible

A

ADJ. practical. Is it feasible to build a new stadium for the Yankees on New York’s West Side Without addi¬tional funding the project is clearly unrealistic.

198
Q

fecundity

A

N. fertility; fruitfulness. The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.

199
Q

feign

A

V. pretend. Lady Macbeth feigned illness although she was actually healthy.

200
Q

feint

A

N. trick; shift; sham blow. The boxer was fooled by his opponent’s feint and dropped his guard. alsoV.

201
Q

felicitous

A

ADJ. apt; suitably expressed; well chosen. He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many a banquet. felicity N.

202
Q

felicity

A

N. happiness; appropriateness (of a remark choice etc.). She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life.

203
Q

fell

A

ADJ. cruel; deadly. The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease.

204
Q

fell

A

V. cut or knock down; bring down (with a missile). Cry¬ing “Timber!” Paul Bunyan felled the mighty redwood tree. Robin Hood loosed his arrow and felled the king’s deer.

205
Q

felon

A

N. person convicted of a grave crime. A convicted felon loses the right to vote.

206
Q

feral

A

ADJ. not domestic; wild. Abandoned by their owners dogs may revert to their feral state roaming the woods in packs.

207
Q

ferment

A

N. agitation; commotion. With the breakup of the Soviet Union much of Eastern Europe was in a state of fer¬ment.

208
Q

ferret

A

V. drive or hunt out of hiding. She ferreted out their secret.

209
Q

fervent

A

ADJ. ardent; hot. She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat undeserved.

210
Q

fervid

A

ADJ. ardent. Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the dangerous mission.

211
Q

fervor

A

N. glowing ardor; intensity of feeling. At the protest rally the students cheered the strikers and booed the dean with equal fervor.

212
Q

fester

A

V. rankle; produce irritation or resentment. Joe’s insult festered in Anne’s mind for days and made her too angry to speak to him.

213
Q

festive

A

ADJ. joyous; celebratory. Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.

214
Q

fetid

A

ADJ. malodorous. The neglected wound became fetid.

215
Q

fetter

A

V. shackle. The prisoner was fettered to the wall.

216
Q

fiasco

A

N. total failure. Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we were forced to flee.

217
Q

fickle

A

ADJ. changeable; faithless. As soon as Romeo saw Juliet he forgot all about his old girlfriend Rosaline. Was Romeo fickle

218
Q

fictitious

A

ADJ. imaginary. Although this book purports to be a biography of George Washington many of the incidents are fictitious.

219
Q

fidelity

A

N. loyalty. A dog’s fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal is a favorite household pet.

220
Q

figment

A

N. invention; imaginary thing. That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.

221
Q

figurative

A

ADJ. not literal but metaphorical; using a figure of speech. “To lose one’s marbles” is a figurative expres¬sion; if you’re told that Jack has lost his marbles no one expects you to rush out to buy him a replacement set.

222
Q

figurine

A

N. small ornamental statuette. In The Maltese Fal¬con Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird.

223
Q

filament

A

N. fine thread or fiber; threadlike structure within a light bulb. A ray of sunlight illuminated the filaments of the spider web turning the web into a net of gold.

224
Q

filch

A

V. steal. The boys filched apples from the fruit stand.

225
Q

filial

A

ADJ. pertaining to a son or daughter. Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents.

226
Q

filibuster

A

V. to block legislation by making long speeches. Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn’s political goals we were impressed by his ability to filibuster end¬lessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.

227
Q

finale

A

N. conclusion. It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author’s message.

228
Q

finesse

A

N. delicate skill. The finesse and adroitness with which the surgeon wielded her scalpel impressed all the observers in the operating room.

229
Q

finicky

A

ADJ. too particular; fussy. The little girl was finicky about her food leaving over anything that wasn’t to her taste.

230
Q

firebrand

A

N. hothead: troublemaker. The police tried to keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.

231
Q

fissure

A

N. crevice. The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock.

232
Q

fitful

A

ADJ. spasmodic; intermittent. After several fitful attempts he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic.

233
Q

flabbergasted

A

ADJ. astounded; astonished; overcome with surprise. In the film Flubber the hero invents a remarkable substance whose amazing properties leave his coworkers flabbergasted. flabbergastV.

234
Q

flaccid

A

ADJ. flabby. His sedentary life had left him with flac¬cid muscles.

235
Q

flag

A

V. droop; grow feeble. When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first quarter the home team’s spirits flagged. flaggingADJ.

236
Q

flagrant

A

ADJ. conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous. The governor’s appointment of his brother-in-law to the State Supreme Court was a flagrant violation of the state laws against nepotism (favoritism based on kinship).

237
Q

flair

A

N. talent. She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence.

238
Q

flamboyant

A

ADJ. ornate. Modern architecture has dis¬carded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and empha¬sizes simplicity of line.

239
Q

flaunt

A

V. display ostentatiously. Mae West saw nothing wrong with showing off her considerable physical charms saying “Honey if you’ve got it flaunt it!”

240
Q

fleck

A

V. spot. Her cheeks flecked with tears were testi¬mony to the hours of weeping.

241
Q

fledgling

A

ADJ. inexperienced. While it is necessary to pro¬vide these fledgling poets with an opportunity to present their work it is not essential that we admire everything they write. also N.

242
Q

fleece

A

N. wool coat of a sheep. They shear sheep of their fleece which they then comb into separate strands of wool.

243
Q

fleece

A

V. rob; plunder. The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.

244
Q

flick

A

N. light stroke as with a whip. The horse needed no encouragement; one flick of the whip was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed.

245
Q

flinch

A

V. hesitate shrink. He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely.

246
Q

flippant

A

ADJ. lacking proper seriousness. When Mark told Mona he loved her she dismissed his earnest declaration with a flippant “Oh you say that to all the girls!” flippancy N.

247
Q

flit

A

V. fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by. Like a bee flitting from flower to flower Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.

248
Q

floe

A

N. mass of floating ice. The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes.

249
Q

flora

A

N. plants of a region or era. Because she was a botanist she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.

250
Q

florid

A

ADJ. ruddy; reddish; flowery. If you go to Florida and get a sunburn your complexion will look florid.

251
Q

flounder

A

V. struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter. Up to his knees in the bog Floyd floundered about trying to regain his footing. Bewildered by the new software Flo floundered until Jan showed her how to get started.

252
Q

flourish

A

V. grow well; prosper; decorate with ornaments. The orange trees flourished in the sun.

253
Q

flout

A

V. reject; mock. The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed.

254
Q

fluctuate

A

V. waver; shift. The water pressure in our shower fluctuates wildly; you start rinsing yourself off with a trickle and two minutes later a blast of water nearly knocks you down.

255
Q

fluency

A

N. smoothness of speech. He spoke French with fluency and ease.

256
Q

fluke

A

N. unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune. When Dou- glas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.

257
Q

fluster

A

V. confuse. The teacher’s sudden question flus¬tered him and he stammered his reply.

258
Q

flux

A

N. flowing; series of changes. While conditions are in such a state of flux I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.

259
Q

fodder

A

N. coarse food for cattle horses etc. One of Nancy’s chores at the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses’ stalls.

260
Q

foible

A

N. weakness; slight fault. We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.

261
Q

foil

A

N. contrast. In Star Wars dark evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired naive Luke Skywalker.

262
Q

foil

A

V. defeat; frustrate. In the end Skywalker is able to foil Vader’s diabolical schemes.

263
Q

foliage

A

N. masses of leaves. Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive through New England to admire the colorful fall foliage.

264
Q

foment

A

V. stir up; instigate. Cheryl’s archenemy Heather spread some nasty rumors that fomented trouble in the club. Do you think Cheryl’s foe meant to foment such discord

265
Q

foolhardy

A

ADJ. rash. Don’t be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture.

266
Q

fop

A

N. dandy; man excessively concerned with his clothes. People who dismissed young Mizrahi as a fop felt chagrined when he turned into one of the top fashion designers of his day. foppishADJ.

267
Q

forbearance

A

N. patience. We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still weak from his illness.

268
Q

ford

A

N. place where a river can be crossed on foot. Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge David walked a half¬mile downstream until he came to the nearest ford. alsoV.

269
Q

forebears

A

N. ancestors. Reverence for one’s forebears (sometimes referred to as ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures.

270
Q

foreboding

A

N. premonition of evil. Suspecting no conspira¬cies against him Caesar gently ridiculed his wife’s forebod¬ings about the Ides of March.

271
Q

forensic

A

ADJ. suitable to debate or courts of law. In her best forensic manner the lawyer addressed the jury. foren¬SiCS N.

272
Q

foreshadow

A

V. give an indication beforehand; portend; pre¬figure. In retrospect political analysts realized that Yeltsin’s defiance of the attempted coup foreshadowed his emer¬gence as the dominant figure of the new Russian republic.

273
Q

foresight

A

N. ability to foresee future happenings; pru¬dence. A wise investor she had the foresight to buy land just before the current real estate boom.

274
Q

forestall

A

V. prevent by taking action in advance. By setting up a prenuptial agreement the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce.

275
Q

forgo

A

V. give up; do without. Determined to lose weight for the summer Ida decided to forgo dessert until she could fit into a size eight again.

276
Q

forlorn

A

ADJ. sad and lonely; wretched. Deserted by her big sisters and her friends the forlorn child sat sadly on the steps awaiting their return.

277
Q

formality

A

N. ceremonious quality; something done just for form’s sake. The president received the visiting heads of state with due formality: flags waving honor guards stand¬ing at attention anthems sounding at full blast. Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you in any way.

278
Q

formidable

A

ADJ. menacing; threatening. We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe.

279
Q

forsake

A

V. desert; abandon; renounce. No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.

280
Q

forswear

A

V. renounce; abandon. The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christian¬ity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.

281
Q

forte

A

N. strong point or special talent. I am not eager to play this rather serious role for my forte is comedy.

282
Q

forthright

A

ADJ. outspoken; straightforward; frank. Never afraid to call a spade a spade she was perhaps too forthrightto be a successful party politician.

283
Q

fortitude

A

N. bravery; courage. He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.

284
Q

fortuitous

A

ADJ. accidental; by chance. Though he pretended their encounter was fortuitous he’d actually been hanging around her usual haunts for the past two weeks hoping she’d turn up.

285
Q

forum

A

N. place of assembly to discuss public concerns; meeting for discussion. The film opens with a shot of the ancient Forum in Rome where several senators are discussing the strange new sect known as Christians. At the end of the movie its director presided over a forum examining new fashions in filmmaking.

286
Q

foster

A

V. rear; encourage. According to the legend Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf who raised the abandoned infants with her own cubs. also ADJ.

287
Q

founder

A

V. fail completely; sink. After hitting the submerged iceberg the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.

288
Q

founder

A

N. person who establishes (an organization business). Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus department store.

289
Q

fracas

A

N. brawl melee. The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.

290
Q

fractious

A

ADJ. unruly; disobedient; irritable. Bucking and kicking the fractious horse unseated its rider.

291
Q

frail

A

ADJ. weak. The delicate child seemed too frail to lift the heavy carton. frailty N.

292
Q

franchise

A

N. right granted by authority; right to vote; business licensed to sell a product in a particular territory. The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years. For most of American history women lacked the right to vote: not until the early twentieth century was the franchise granted to women. Stan owns a Carvel’s ice cream franchise in Chinatown.

293
Q

frantic

A

ADJ. wild. At the time of the collision many people became frantic with fear.

294
Q

fraternize

A

V. associate in a friendly way. After the game the members of the two teams fraternized as cheerfully as if they had never been rivals.

295
Q

fraudulent

A

ADJ. cheating; deceitful. The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading advertising.

296
Q

fraught

A

ADJ. filled. Since this enterprise is fraught with danger I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.

297
Q

fray

A

N. brawl. The three musketeers were in the thick of the fray.

298
Q

frenetic

A

ADJ. frenzied; frantic. His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation.

299
Q

frenzied

A

ADJ. madly excited. As soon as they smelled smoke the frenzied animals milled about in their cages.

300
Q

fresco

A

N. painting on plaster (usually fresh). The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the frescoes by Giotto.

301
Q

fret

A

V. to be annoyed or vexed. To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead decide to work harder in the future.

302
Q

friction

A

N. clash in opinion; rubbing against. At this time when harmony is essential we cannot afford to have any friction in our group.

303
Q

frigid

A

ADJ. intensely cold. Alaska is in the frigid zone.

304
Q

frivolous

A

ADJ. lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant. Though Nancy enjoyed Bill’s frivolous lighthearted companionship she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious. frivolity N.

305
Q

frolicsome

A

ADJ. prankish; gay. The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.

306
Q

frond

A

N. fern leaf; palm or banana leaf. After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees.

307
Q

frugality

A

N. thrift; economy. In economically hard times anyone who doesn’t learn to practice frugality risks bankruptcy. frugal ADJ.

308
Q

fruition

A

N. bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization. This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of hard work.

309
Q

frustrate

A

V. thwart; defeat. We must frustrate this dictator’s plan to seize control of the government.

310
Q

fugitive

A

ADJ. fleeting or transitory; roving. The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind but on the whole it made no lasting impression upon her.

311
Q

fulcrum

A

N. support on which a lever rests. If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever we may be able to move this boulder.

312
Q

fulsome

A

ADJ. disgustingly excessive. His fulsome praise of the dictator revolted his listeners.

313
Q

fundamental

A

V. basic; primary; essential. The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever getting down to addressing the fundamental problem.

314
Q

furlough

A

N. leave of absence; vacation granted a soldier or civil servant. Dreaming of her loved ones back in the States the young soldier could hardly wait for her upcoming furlough.

315
Q

furor

A

N. frenzy; great excitement. The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the Stock Exchange.

316
Q

furtive

A

ADJ. stealthy; sneaky. Noticing the furtive glance the customer gave the diamond bracelet on the counter the jeweler wondered whether he had a potential shoplifter on his hands.

317
Q

fusion

A

N. union; coalition. The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the election.

318
Q

futile

A

ADJ. useless; hopeless; ineffectual. It is futile for me to try to get any work done around here while the telephone is ringing every thirty seconds. futility N.

319
Q

gadfly

A

N. animal-biting fly; an irritating person. Like a gadfly he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty-eight hours everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody.

320
Q

gaffe

A

N. social blunder. According to Miss Manners to call your husband by your lover’s name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake.

321
Q

gainsay

A

V. deny. She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report.

322
Q

gait

A

N. manner of walking or running; speed. The lame man walked with an uneven gait.

323
Q

galaxy

A

N. large isolated system of stars such as the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities. Science fiction stories speculate about the possible existence of life in other galaxies. The deaths of such famous actors as John Candy and George Burns tells us that the galaxy of Hollywood superstars is rapidly disappearing.

324
Q

gale

A

N. windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughter tears). The Weather Channel warned viewers about a rising gale with winds of up to sixty miles per hour.

325
Q

gall

A

N. bitterness; nerve. The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.

326
Q

gall

A

V. annoy; chafe. Their taunts galled him.

327
Q

galleon

A

N. large sailing ship. The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon the large warship; the British on the smaller and faster pinnace.

328
Q

galvanize

A

V. stimulate by shock; stir up; revitalize. News that the prince was almost at their door galvanized the ugly stepsisters into a frenzy of combing and primping.

329
Q

gambit

A

N. opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed. The player was afraid to accept his opponent’s gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not see. gambol V. skip; leap playfully. Watching children gambol-ing in the park is a pleasant experience. also N.

330
Q

gamely

A

ADV. bravely; with spirit. Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena.

331
Q

gamut

A

N. entire range. In this performance the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability.

332
Q

gape

A

V. open widely; stare open-mouthed. The huge pit gaped before him; if he stumbled he would fall in. Slackjawed in wonder Huck gaped at the huge stalactites hanging down from the ceiling of the limestone cavern.

333
Q

garbled

A

ADJ. mixed up; jumbled; distorted. A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message from one person to another until by the time it reaches the last player the message is totally garbled.

334
Q

gargantuan

A

ADJ. huge; enormous. The gargantuan wrestler was terrified of mice.

335
Q

garish

A

ADJ. over-bright in color; gaudy. She wore a gaudy rhinestone necklace with an excessively garish gold lame dress.

336
Q

garner

A

V. gather; store up. She hoped to garner the world’s literature in one library.

337
Q

garnish

A

V. decorate. Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato. also N.

338
Q

garrulous

A

ADJ. loquacious; wordy; talkative. My Uncle Henry can out-talk any three people I know. He is the most garrulous person in Cayuga County. garrulity N.

339
Q

gauche

A

ADJ. clumsy; coarse and uncouth. Compared to the sophisticated young ladies in their elegant gowns tomboyish Jo felt gauche and out of place.

340
Q

gaudy

A

ADJ. flashy; showy. The newest Trump skyscraper is typically gaudy covered in gilded panels that gleam in the sun.

341
Q

gaunt

A

ADJ. lean and angular; barren. His once round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight.

342
Q

gavel

A

N. hammerlike tool; mallet. “Sold!” cried the auctioneer banging her gavel on the table to indicate she’d accepted the final bid.

343
Q

gawk

A

V. stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe. The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city.

344
Q

genealogy

A

N. record of descent; lineage. He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the achievements of his ancestors.

345
Q

generality

A

N. vague statement. This report is filled with generalities; be more specific in your statements.

346
Q

generate

A

V. cause; produce; create. In his first days in office President Clinton managed to generate a new mood of optimism; we just hoped he could generate some new jobs.

347
Q

generic

A

ADJ. characteristic of an entire class or species. Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare time playing fantasy games that she began to think that playing Dungeons & Dragons was a generic trait.

348
Q

genesis

A

N. beginning; origin. Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of Roots.

349
Q

geniality

A

N. cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy. This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor who tries to make everyone happy.

350
Q

genre

A

N. particular variety of art or literature. Both a short story writer and a poet Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre.