Word Skills #21

Question 1

abase

Answer 1

VERB: Literally, to lower or depress, to throw or cast down, applied to passions, rank, office and condition of life (The intent of the negative comment was to ABASE the student in front of his peers.)

Question 2

amplify

Answer 2

VERB: To enlarge, to augment, to increase or extend power or authority; to make more complete or full, to exaggerate, to strengthen, to speak or write in great detail. (The king’s army invaded the neighboring countries to AMPLIFY his power.)

Question 3

au contraire

Answer 3

FOREIGN EXPRESSION: A French expression meaning “to the contrary: or “the opposite. (When the teen told his mother he would be out all night, she responded, “AU CONTRAIRE, you will not be going out at all tonight.)

Question 4

celerity

Answer 4

NOUN: Rapidity of motion, quickness. (Ernie had studied diligently and completed the test with confidence and CELERITY.)

Question 5

conjecture

Answer 5

NOUN: A putting together, a guess; an inference; guesswork. Theorizing or predicting from incomplete or uncertain evidence.(The case was decided primarily on CONJECTURE because of the limited physical evidence.)

Question 6

debonair

Answer 6

ADJ: characterized by courtesy and charm (The handsome, DEBONAIR prince attracted the attention of all the ladies at the dance.)

Question 7

disconsolate

Answer 7

ADJ: Without comfort. Causing or suggesting discomfort or dejection. (The severe knee injury ended John’s dreams of playing professional baseball and left him feeling DISCONSOLATE.)

Question 8

enamor

Answer 8

VERB: To fill with love and desire. To inflame with love. (Thousands of teens are ENAMORED with the new pop rock band from Mexico.)

Question 9

expurgate

Answer 9

VERB: To remove anything considered obscene or otherwise objectionable (from a book, play etc.) (Before giving permission for the Shakespearean play to be performed at the high school, the administrators insisted that the directors EXPURGATE several questionable scenes.)

Question 10

impasse

Answer 10

NOUN: A blind alley; A road or passage having no exit. A difficult situation (The case ended in a mistrial because the jury had reached an IMPASSE.)

Question 11

ineffable

Answer 11

ADJ: Beyond expression. Too overwhelmed to be expressed or described in words. Too awesome or sacred to be spoken, as God’s ineffable name. (The flood of tears conveyed her INEFFABLE joy at winning the full scholarship to college.)

Question 12

intractable

Answer 12

ADJ: Difficult to manage. Unruly or stubborn (The child became so INTRACTABLE that her parents sought professional counseling to help her become a successful student and a law abiding citizen.)

Question 13

malodorous

Answer 13

ADJ: Having a bad smell; Of bad odor. (My mother burned scented candles to counteract the MALODOROUS cabbage she was cooking.)

Question 14

nom de plum

Answer 14

NOUN: Of French origin meaning penname; a name for writing. The origin is probably associated with the quill, a feather used for writing. (Samuel Clemens chose Mark Twain as his NOM DE PLUM.)

Question 15

perfunctory

Answer 15

ADJ: Done or acting routinely and with little care or concern. Done merely out of duty or obligation. (His PERFUNCTORY attitude about attending practice prevents him from developing his talent.)

Question 16

potentate

Answer 16

NOUN: One who has the power and position to rule over others. (Our three branches of government limit the President’s power and prevent him or her from becoming a POTENTATE.)

Question 17

proliferate

Answer 17

VERB: To create or produce in rapid succession. To increase or produce rapidly in numbers. (The company’s decision to PROLIFERATE their product eventually flooded the market and decreased the price and profit.)

Question 18

reiterate

Answer 18

VERB: To say something again or a number of times, usually for emphasis or clarity (Hoping for some leniency, the defendant continued to REITERATE his regret for the crimes.)

Question 19

satiate

Answer 19

VERB: To satisfy an appetite or desire fully. To gratify to excess. (Though she had earned several college degrees, she could never SATIATE her love of learning.)

Question 20

supersede

Answer 20

VERB: To take the place of a person or thing previously in authority or use. To cause to be set aside or displaced; to set aside for something else (Should national security SUPERSEDE the rights of individuals in this country?)