Word List 49

Question 1

behoove

Answer 1

to be necessary, proper, or advantageous for

e.g. It behooves us to go.

Question 2

bewitch

Answer 2

to influence or affect especially injuriously by witchcraft
to cast a spell over
to attract as if by the power of witchcraft; enchant, fascinate

e.g. bewitched by her beauty

Question 3

bumpkin

Answer 3

an awkward and unsophisticated rustic

Question 4

dashing

Answer 4

marked by vigorous action; spirited
marked by smartness especially in dress and manners

e.g. a brave and dashing soldier

Question 5

dike

Answer 5

an artificial watercourse; ditch
a bank constructed to control or confine water; levee
a barrier preventing passage especially of something undesirable

e.g. an elaborate system of dikes built to protect the lowlands from the relentless onslaught of the sea

Question 6

epistolary

Answer 6

of, relating to, or suitable to a letter
contained in or carried on by letters
written in the form of a series of letters

e.g. an endless sequence of epistolary love affairs
an epistolary novel

Question 7

fetching

Answer 7

attractive, pleasing

e.g. a fetching smile

Question 8

heavy-handed

Answer 8

clumsy
oppressive, harsh

e.g. This heavy-handed prose is merely tiresome.
the government’s most heavy-handed efforts to muzzle social protest

Question 9

jettison

Answer 9

a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship’s load in time of distress
to get rid of as superfluous or encumbering

Question 10

madcap

Answer 10

marked by capriciousness, recklessness, or foolishness

e.g. a madcap scheme to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel

Question 11

nicety

Answer 11

an elegant, delicate, or civilized feature
a fine point or distinction; subtlety
careful attention to details; delicate exactness; precision

e.g. knows all the niceties of diplomatic protocol
a woman too fond of the niceties of urban living to even consider becoming a farmer’s wife

Question 12

pat

Answer 12

in a pat manner; aptly, perfectly
exactly suited to the purpose or occasion; apt
suspiciously appropriate; contrived
learned, mastered, or memorized perfectly
reduced to a simple or mechanical form; standard, trite

e.g. After months of practicing for the competition, the cheerleaders have their moves down pat.
The movie’s pat ending was a disappointment.
His explanation was too pat to believe.

Question 13

privy

Answer 13

private, withdrawn
secret
admitted as one sharing in a secret

e.g. privy information/meetings
privy to the conspiracy

Question 14

proscenium

Answer 14

the part of a stage that is in front of the curtain

Question 15

scrimp

Answer 15

to be stingy in providing for
to make too small, short, or scanty

e.g. They scrimped and saved for their big vacation.

Question 16

slink

Answer 16

to go or move stealthily or furtively (as in fear or shame)

e.g. like a thief slinking about in the middle of the night
slink away in shame

Question 17

spoilsport

Answer 17

one who spoils the sport or pleasure of others

Question 18

staunch

Answer 18

strongly built; substantial
steadfast in loyalty or principle

e.g. a staunch advocate for women’s rights

Question 19

traipse

Answer 19

to go on foot; walk
to walk or travel about without apparent plan but with or without a purpose

e.g. traipsing from store to store looking for a dress
traipse the country side

Question 20

untrammeled

Answer 20

free, not limited

Question 21

willy-nilly

Answer 21

by compulsion; without choice; also, willing or unwillingly
in a haphazard or spontaneous manner

e.g. He’ll have to do it willy-nilly.

Question 22

wrest

Answer 22

to pull, force, or move by violent wringing or twisting movements
to gain with difficulty by or as if by force, violence, or determined labor

e.g. wrest control of the company from his uncle