Words 801 - 825

Question 1

quell

Answer 1

to control or diffuse a potentially explosive situation

verb

The skilled leader deftly quelled the rebellion.

Question 2

querulous

Answer 2

whiny, complaining

adjective

If deprived of his pacifier, young Brendan becomes querulous.

Question 3

quixotic

Answer 3

idealistic, impractical

adjective

Edward entertained a quixotic desire to fall in love at first sight in a laundromat.

Question 4

quotidian

Answer 4

daily

adjective

Ambika’s quotidian routines include drinking two cups of coffee in the morning.

Question 5

rail

Answer 5

to scold, protest

verb

The professor railed against the injustice of the college’s tenure policy.

Question 6

rancid

Answer 6

having a terrible taste or smell

adjective

was double-dog-dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich.

Question 7

rancor

Answer 7

deep, bitter resentment

noun

When Eileen challenged me to a fight, I could see the rancor in her eyes.

Question 8

rapport

Answer 8

mutual understanding and harmony

noun

When Margaret met her paramour, they felt an instant rapport.

Question 9

rash

Answer 9

hasty, incautions

adjective

It’s best to think things over calmly and thoroughly, rather than make rash decisions.

Question 10

raucous

Answer 10

loud, boisterous

adjective

Sarah’s neighbors called the cops when her house party got too raucous.

Question 11

raze

Answer 11

to demolish, level

verb

The old tenement house was razed to make room for the large chain store.

Question 12

rebuke

Answer 12

to scold, criticize

verb

When the cops showed up at Sarah’s party, they rebuked her for disturbing the peace.

Question 13

recalcitrant

Answer 13

defiant, unapologetic

adjective

Even when scolded, the recalcitrant young girl simply stomped her foot and refused to finish her lima beans.

Question 14

recapitulate

Answer 14

to sum up, repeat

verb

Before the final exam, the teacher recapitulated the semester’s material.

Question 15

reciprocate

Answer 15

to give in return

verb

When Steve gave Samantha a sweater for Christmas, she reciprocated by giving him a kiss.

Question 16

reclusive

Answer 16

solitary, shunning society

adjective

Reclusive authors such as J.D. Salinger do not relish media attention and sometimes even enjoy holing up in remote cabins in the woods.

Question 17

reconcile

Answer 17

1. to return in harmony
2. to make consistent with existing ideas

verb

1. The feuding neighbors finally reconciled when one brought the other a delicious tuna noodle casserole.
2. Alou had to reconcile his skepticism about the existence of aliens with the fact that he was looking at a flying saucer.

Question 18

rectitude

Answer 18

uprightness, extreme morality

noun

The priest’s rectitude gave him the moral authority to counsel his parishioners.

Question 19

redoubtable

Answer 19

1. formidable
2. commanding respect

adjective

1. The fortress looked redoubtable set against a stormy sky.
2. The audience greeted the redoubtable speaker with a standing ovation.

Question 20

refract

Answer 20

to distort, change

verb

The light was refracted as it passed through the prism.

Question 21

refurbish

Answer 21

to restore, clean up

verb

The dingy old chair, after being refurbished, commanded the handsome price of $200.

Question 22

refute

Answer 22

to prove wrong

verb

Maria refuted the president’s argument as she yelled and gesticulated at the TV.

Question 23

regurgitate

Answer 23

1. to vomit
2. to throw back exactly

verb

1. Feeling sick, Chuck regurgitated his dinner.
2. Margaret rushed through the test, regurgitating all of the facts she’d memorized an hour earlier.

Question 24

relegate

Answer 24

1. to assign to the proper place
2. to assign to an inferior place

verb

1. At the astrology conference, Simon was relegated to the Scorpio room.
2. After spilling a drink on a customer’s shirt, the waiter found himself relegated to the least lucrative shift.

Question 25

relish

Answer 25

to enjoy

verb

Pete always relished his bedtime snack.