Vocab I

Question 1

Idiosyncrasy

Answer 1

Peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity
His numerous IDIOSYNCRASIES included a fondness for wearing bright green shoes with mauve socks.
Synonyms:
HUMOR. ODDITY. QUIRK.

Question 2

Ignoble

Answer 2

Having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean
The photographer was paid a princely sum for the picture of the self-proclaimed ethicist in the IGNOBLE act of pick-pocketing.
Synonyms:
LOWLY. VULGAR.

Question 3

Imbue

Answer 3

To infuse, dye, wet, or moisten
Marcia struggled to IMBUE her children with decent values, a difficult task in this day and age.
Synonyms:
CHARGE. FREIGHT. IMPREGNATE. PERMEATE. PERVADE.

Question 4

Impasse

Answer 4

Blocked path; dilemma with no solution
The rock slide produced an IMPASSE, so no one could proceed further on the road.
Synonyms:
CUL-DE-SAC. DEADLOCK. STALEMATE.

Question 5

Impecunious

Answer 5

Poor; having no money
After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves IMPECUNIOUS.
Synonyms:
DESTITUTE. IMPOVERISHED. INDIGENT. NEEDY. PENNILESS.

Question 6

Impugn

Answer 6

To call into question; to attack verbally
“How dare you IMPUGN my motives?” protested the lawyer, on being accused of ambulance chasing.
Synonyms:
CHALLENGE. DISPUTE.

Question 7

Imprecation

Answer 7

A curse
Spouting violent IMPRECATIONS, Hank searched for the person who had vandalized his truck.
Synonyms:
DAMNATION.

Question 8

Incarnadine

Answer 8

Blood-red in color
At his mother’s mention of his baby pictures, the shy boy’s cheeks turned INCARNADINE with embarrassment.
Synonyms:
REDDENED. RUBY. RUDDY.

Question 9

Inculcate

Answer 9

To teach; impress in the mind
Most parents INCULCATE their children with their beliefs and ideas instead of allowing their children to develop their own values.
Synonyms:
IMPLANT. INDOCTRINATE. INSTILL. PREACH.

Question 10

Inexorable

Answer 10

Inflexible; unyielding
The INEXORABLE force of the twister swept away their house.
Synonyms:
ADAMANT. RELENTLESS. OBDURATE.

Question 11

Ingratiate

Answer 11

To gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage
The new intern tried to INGRATIATE herself with the managers so that they might consider her for a future job.
Synonyms:
CURRY FAVOR. FLATTER.

Question 12

Ingrate

Answer 12

Ungrateful person
When none of her relatives thanked her for the fruitcakes she had sent them, Audrey condemned them all as INGRATES.
Synonyms:
CAD. CHURL.

Question 13

Iniquity

Answer 13

Sin; evil act
“I promise to close every den of INIQUITY in this town!” thundered the conservative new mayor.
Synonyms:
ENORMITY. IMMORALITY. INJUSTICE. VICE. WICKEDNESS.

Question 14

Insurrection

Answer 14

Rebellion
After the emperor’s troops crushed the INSURRECTION, its leaders fled the country.
Synonyms:
MUTINY. REVOLT. REVOLUTION. UPRISING.

Question 15

Interregnum

Answer 15

Period between reigns
When JFK was shot, there was a brief INTERREGNUM before Lyndon Johnson became president.
Synonyms:
Interval.

Question 16

Inter

Answer 16

To bury
After giving the masses one last chance to pay their respects, the leader’s boy was INTERRED.
Synonyms:
ENTOMB. INHUME. SEPULCHER. SEPULTURE. TOMB.

Question 17

Intractable

Answer 17

Not easily managed or manipulated
INTRACTABLE for hours, the wild horse eventually allowed the rider to mount.
Synonyms:
STUBBORN. UNRULY.

Question 18

Invective

Answer 18

Abusive language
A stream of INVECTIVES poured from Mrs. Pratt’s mouth as she watched the vandals smash her ceramic frog.
Synonyms:
DENUNCIATION. REVILEMENT. VITUPERATION.

Question 19

Inure

Answer 19

To Harden; accustom; become used to
Eventually, Hassad became INURED to the sirens that went off every night and could sleep through them.
Synonyms:
CONDITION. FAMILIARIZE. HABITUATE.

Question 20

Invidious

Answer 20

Envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will
It is cruel and INVIDIOUS for parents to play favorites with their children.
Synonyms:
DISCRIMINATORY. INSULTING. JAUNDICED. RESENTFUL.

Question 21

Investiture

Answer 21

Ceremony conferring authority
At Napoleon’s INVESTITURE, he grabbed the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it on his head himself.
Synonyms:
INAUGURAL. INAUGURATION. INDUCTION. INITIATION. INSTALLATION.

Question 22

Itinerant

Answer 22

Wandering from place to place; unsettled
The ITINERANT tomcat came back to the Johansson homestead every two months.
Synonyms:
NOMADIC. VAGRANT.