Word List 13

Question 1

apostrophe

Answer 1

appeal to someone not present (a figure of speech)

Question 2

emollient

Answer 2

softening

Question 3

fusillade

Answer 3

long burst of gunfire

Question 4

mince

Answer 4

walk with tiny steps; speak in an affected manner

Question 5

palpate

Answer 5

medical term meaning to examine with the hands

Question 6

platitude

Answer 6

unoriginal, obvious saying

Question 7

quibble

Answer 7

to play on words when finding fault; a minor verbal point in argument

Question 8

derision

Answer 8

mockery

Question 9

epigram

Answer 9

short, witty saying

Question 10

lassitude

Answer 10

lack of energy; weariness

Question 11

pedantic

Answer 11

over-insistent on matters of book-learning

Question 12

phenomenology

Answer 12

branch of science concerned with things as they are perceived; not directly derived from theory

Question 13

precipitate

Answer 13

hurried; insoluble product of a reaction in chemistry; to instigate or speed up in action

Question 14

armada

Answer 14

fleet of ships

Question 15

dawdler

Answer 15

slow person who falls behind others

Question 16

dross

Answer 16

something worthless; impurities left after refining

Question 17

expiate

Answer 17

atone; make amends for

Question 18

hack

Answer 18

person who writes to earn money; hired horse

Question 19

prone

Answer 19

horizontal

Question 20

propensity

Answer 20

tendency, inclination

Question 21

scabbard

Answer 21

cover for a sword

Question 22

skiff

Answer 22

small boat

Question 23

umbrage

Answer 23

shadow; offence; sense of injury

Question 24

dilettantism

Answer 24

dabbling (esp. in the arts)

Question 25

enervate

Answer 25

weaken

Question 26

malevolent

Answer 26

having evil intentions

Question 27

neophyte

Answer 27

new convert; tyro

Question 28

panegyric

Answer 28

speech praising someone; laudatory words

Question 29

presage

Answer 29

forewarn of; indicate

Question 30

serration

Answer 30

jagged edge

Question 31

slight

Answer 31

perceived insult

Question 32

tare

Answer 32

a noxious weed

Question 33

unprepossessing

Answer 33

unattractive

Question 34

aberration

Answer 34

deviation from the normal

Question 35

cant

Answer 35

insincere talk

Question 36

disinter

Answer 36

dig up

Question 37

lacuna

Answer 37

gap; missing part

Question 38

monolithic

Answer 38

united in purpose; forming a single unit

Question 39

pied

Answer 39

multicolored

Question 40

seemly

Answer 40

appropriate (of behavior); decorous

Question 41

analogue

Answer 41

something similar; output proportional to input (in engineering)

Question 42

coda

Answer 42

piece of music at the end of musical work; finale; final part of document

Question 43

commingle

Answer 43

mix

Question 44

equivocal

Answer 44

ambiguous; open to interpretation

Question 45

hallow

Answer 45

respect; worthy

Question 46

indigence

Answer 46

poverty

Question 47

pique

Answer 47

annoyance; to stimulate interest; to annoy

Question 48

sap

Answer 48

to undermine; a fool

Question 49

arbitrator

Answer 49

mediator; person appointed to judge a dispute

Question 50

descry

Answer 50

to see; catch sight of

Question 51

facetious

Answer 51

not intended to be taken seriously

Question 52

indecorous

Answer 52

unseemly; inappropriate behavior

Question 53

scotch

Answer 53

to prevent; stop; disable

Question 54

strut

Answer 54

supporting rod

Question 55

usury

Answer 55

lending money at high interest rates

Question 56

wag

Answer 56

a witty person

Question 57

atavism

Answer 57

reappearance of ancestral traits; regression

Question 58

filibuster

Answer 58

delaying tactics

Question 59

gambit

Answer 59

opening move; transaction

Question 60

mitigation

Answer 60

making less severe

Question 61

obligate

Answer 61

compulsory

Question 62

predilection

Answer 62

leaning; interest; talent

Question 63

propitiate

Answer 63

appease; try to gain favor

Question 64

stanch

Answer 64

to stop

Question 65

travesty

Answer 65

parody; ridiculous error

Question 66

lumber

Answer 66

walk in an ungainly way

Question 67

prescience

Answer 67

foreknowledge

Question 68

ready

Answer 68

quick (used of wit)

Question 69

squalid

Answer 69

dirty and demeaning

Question 70

sullied

Answer 70

made dirty or impure

Question 71

veneration

Answer 71

worship; respect

Question 72

demur

Answer 72

object; hesitate to accept

Question 73

exigency

Answer 73

urgent matter; pressing need

Question 74

expostulate

Answer 74

offer strong objections; remonstrate

Question 75

gossamer

Answer 75

delicate; filmy; like gauze

Question 76

inefficacious

Answer 76

ineffective

Question 77

prudish

Answer 77

narrow-minded

Question 78

quixotic

Answer 78

impractically idealistic

Question 79

stipple

Answer 79

cover with dots of paint