Week #3

Question 1

Define

Loathe

(lōth)

Answer 1

To hate

I loathe spinach but I love other green vegetables.

Question 2

Define

Reprimand

(repˊ rə mand)

Answer 2

To show sharp disapproval

When he arrived late, he knew that the grocer would reprimand him.

Question 3

Define

Lackluster

(lakˊlusˊtər)

Answer 3

Dull

Speaking in a monotone, the politician was booed for his lackluster address.

Question 4

Define

Caustic

(kôsˊtik)

Answer 4

Sarcastic, biting

In a caustic article, the drama critic slaughtered the
hapless actors.

Question 5

Define

Wrest

(rest)

Answer 5

Take by force

With the help of his brothers he was able to wrest the leadership of the company from his partner.

Question 6

Define

Crocodile Tears

Answer 6

Insincere tears

When the football player broke his leg, his substitute
wept crocodile tears.

Question 7

Define

Infamous

(inˊ fə rāˊməs)

Answer 7

Having a bad reputation

The bombing of Pearl Harbor was referred to as an
infamous deed.

Question 8

Define

Jostle

(Jostle)

Answer 8

To shove hard

When he attempted to jostle the old lady, she struck
him with her unbrella.

Question 9

Define

Dupe

(düp or dūp)

Answer 9

A person easily tricked (n)

The wealthy dupe consented to buy the often sold
Brooklyn Bridge.

Question 10

Define

Incipient

(in sipˊ i ənt)

Answer 10

Just beginning to exist

By telling the truth, we stopped the incipient rumor
from spreading.

Question 11

Define

Inadvertent

(in əd vûrˊ tənt)

Answer 11

Heedless, not attentive

Through an inadvertent error, the guided missile sped
out of control.

Question 12

Define

To Carry the Day

Answer 12

To win the approval of the majority

The secretary’s motion that we adjourn for lunch
carried the day, and we headed for the restaurant.

Question 13

Define

Ominous

(omˊ ə nəs)

Answer 13

Threatening

After the weatherman had seen the ominous clouds,
he prognosticated rain.

Question 14

Define

Tremulous

(tremˊyə ləs)

Answer 14

Quivering

The widow’s tremulous hands revealed her nervousness.

Question 15

Define

Repudiate

(ri pūˊ dē āt)

Answer 15

To reject, decline

The general attempted to repudiate the testimony of the lieutenant, claiming that the young officer wasn’t
an authority on low level bombing.

Question 16

Define

Cessation

(se sāˊshəsn)

Answer 16

A stopping

The cessation of the shooting was replete with benefits for both sides.

Question 17

Define

Bristle

(brisˊl)

Answer 17

Stiffen with fear or anger (v)

Upon seeing the snake, the cat began to bristle with fear.

Question 18

Define

Skid Row

Answer 18

Disreputable part of town, inhabited by
derelicts and people “on the skids”

The presence of so many bars has turned our
neighborhood into another Skid Row

Question 19

Define

Euphemism

(ūˊ fə mizəm)

Answer 19

Use a less offensive term

The word “expired” is a euphemism for “died”.

Question 20

Define

Mundane

(munˊ dān)

Answer 20

Worldly

The philosopher dealt with spiritual things, ignoring the mundane ones.

Question 21

Define

Incongruous

(in kongˊgrü əs)

Answer 21

Inappropriate

The play was so incongruous that it seemed to be the work of several authors.

Question 22

Define

Condolence

(kən dōˊ ləns)

Answer 22

Pity

When my neighbor’s dog was run over, we sent a
condolence card.

Question 23

Define

Stipulate

(stipˊū lūt)

Answer 23

To specify a condition

We repudiated the contract because it did not stipulate a cost of living bonus.

Question 24

Define

To Go Up In Smoke

Answer 24

To come to no practical results (kindling
smokes but it will not light a fire)

The mayor’s plans to get the gubernatorial nomination
went up in smoke when he couldn’t end the costly strike.