Vocab Day 9

Question 1

Boorish

Answer 1

rough and bad-mannered, coarse | person who is rude, clumsy, and lacking social manners

Boris was a boor at the dinner party; after telling the host that her house was cheaply decorated, he ate his steak
with his fingers and burped during the meal.

Word Forms: boorish, boorishly, boorishness
Note: Be careful not to confuse a boor (a rude person) with a bore (a boring person).

Question 2

Brook

Answer 2

tolerate

Question 3

Circumspect

Answer 3

adj) cautious; discreet

Given the recent theft of passwords, you need to be circumspect when sharing personal information on the internet.

Word Forms: circumspectly, circumspectness Antonym Forms: noncircumspect, noncircumspectly,
noncircumspectness

Question 4

Comity

Answer 4

an association of nations for their mutual benefit/ considerate behavior towards others

Question 5

Commensurate

Answer 5

corresponding in size or degree, in proportion

Question 6

Cordial

Answer 6

warm and friendly

Question 7

Deleterious

Answer 7

adj) harmful

The deleterious effects of cigarette smoking, such as lung cancer, are highlighted in the public service campaign.

Word Forms: deleteriously, deleteriousness Related Word: delete

Question 8

Dichotomy

Answer 8

a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or
entirely different

Question 9

Edify

Answer 9

instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually

Question 10

Elicit

Answer 10

vb) to call or bring out | evoke or draw out (a reaction answer) from someone

The woman elicits sympathy from her audience by telling the story of her difficult childhood.

Word Forms: elicitation, elicitor Related Word: solicit
Note: elicit is often confused with illicit, which means illegal

Question 11

Erudite

Answer 11

having or showing great knowledge or learning

Question 12

Fecund

Answer 12

adj) productive; fruitful

The fecund field has been producing record-setting crops for many years.

Word Forms: fecundity, fecundate, fecundator, fecundatory

Question 13

Feeble

Answer 13

lacking physical strength/ lacking strength of character/ failing to convince or impress

Question 14

Felicitous

Answer 14

pleasing and appropriate style; happiness | well chosen or suited to the circumstances/ pleasing

The book review highlighted both the felicities and the imperfections of the novel.

Word Forms: felicitous, felicitously, felicitousness Antonym Forms: infelicity, infelicitous, infelicitously

Question 15

Forbear

Answer 15

refrain from doing something

Question 16

Haphazard

Answer 16

lacking any obvious principle of organization

Question 17

Hodgepodge

Answer 17

a confused mixture

Question 18

Impede

Answer 18

hinder

Question 19

Impetuous

Answer 19

adj) impulsive | acting or done quickly and without thought or care

While at the airshow to see old war planes, Ivan made an impetuous decision to go skydiving.

Word Forms: impetuously, impetuousness, impetuosity Related Word: impetus

Question 20

Irascible

Answer 20

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered | adj) quickly aroused to anger

The irascible old lady caused a scene at the restaurant by yelling at the manager when her hamburger was
overcooked.

Word Forms: irascibly, irascibleness, irascibility Related Word: ire

Question 21

Mercenary

Answer 21

making money at the expense of ethics/ a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army

Question 22

Meticulous

Answer 22

very careful and precious

Question 23

Mordant

Answer 23

(humor) having or showing a sharp or critical quality, biting

Question 24

Outstrip

Answer 24

move faster and overtake/ exceed

Question 25

Precarious

Answer 25

not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse/ uncertain

Question 26

Quirky

Answer 26

having or characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits or aspects

Question 27

Repudiate

Answer 27

vb) to reject | refuse to accept/ deny the truth or validity

The celebrity repudiated claims that she had undergone plastic surgery.

Word Forms: repudiable, repudiative, repudiation, repudiatory, repudiator

Question 28

Tact

Answer 28

skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues

Question 29

Trifling

Answer 29

unimportant or trivial

Question 30

Turbulent

Answer 30

characterized by conflict, disorder/ not stable