Words 926 - 950

Question 1

torpid

Answer 1

lethargic, dormant, lacking motion

adjective

The torpid whale floated, wallowing in the water for hours.

Question 2

torrid

Answer 2

very hot and usually dry

adjective

John couldn’t stand the torrid summers in southern Arizona

Question 3

tortuous

Answer 3

winding

adjective

The scary thing about driving in mountains are the narrow, tortuous roads.

Question 4

tractable

Answer 4

easily controlled

adjective

The horse was so tractable, Myra didn’t even need a bridle.

Question 5

tranquil

Answer 5

calm

adjective

There is a time of night when nothing moves and everything is tranquil.

Question 6

transgress

Answer 6

to violate, go over a limit

verb

The criminal’s actions transgressed morality and human decency.

Question 7

transient

Answer 7

not lasting or staying long

adjective

The mountain lies between his residence and the main road and occludes the expectation of transient visits.

Question 8

transmute

Answer 8

to change or alter in form

verb

Ancient alchemists believed that it was possible to transmute lead into gold.

Question 9

travesty

Answer 9

a grossly inferior imitation

noun

According to the school newspaper’s merciless theater critic, Pacific Coast High’s rendition of the musical Oklahoma was a travesty of the original.

Question 10

tremulous

Answer 10

fearful

adjective

I always feel a trifle tremulous when walking through a graveyard.

Question 11

trenchant

Answer 11

effective, articulate, clear-cut

adjective

The directions that accompanied my new cell phone were trenchant and easy to follow.

Question 12

trepidation

Answer 12

fear, apprehension

noun

Feeling great trepidation, Anya refused to jump into the pool because she thought she saw a shark in it.

Question 13

trite

Answer 13

not original, overused

adjective

Keith thought of himself as being very learned, but everyone else thought he was trite because his observations about the world were always the same as David Letterman’s.

Question 14

truculent

Answer 14

ready to fight, cruel

adjective

This club doesn’t really attract the dangerous types, so why was that bouncer being so truculent?

Question 15

truncate

Answer 15

to shorten by cutting off

verb

After winning the derby, the jockey truncated the long speech he had planned and thanked only his mom and his horse.

Question 16

turgid

Answer 16

excessively embellished in style or language

adjective

The haughty writer did not realize how we all really felt about his turgid prose.

Question 17

turpitude

Answer 17

depravity, moral corruption

noun

Sir Marcus’s chivalry often contrasted with the turpitude he exhibited with the ladies at the tavern.

Question 18

ubiquitous

Answer 18

existing everywhere, widespread

adjective

It seems that everyone in the United States has a television. The technology is ubiquitous here.

Question 19

umbrage

Answer 19

resentment, offense

noun

He called me a lily-livered coward, and I took umbrage at the insult.

Question 20

uncanny

Answer 20

of supernatural character or origin

adjective

Luka had an uncanny ability to know exactly what other people were thinking. She also had an uncanny ability to shoot fireballs from her hands.

Question 21

unctuous

Answer 21

smooth or greasy in texture, appearance, manner

adjective

The unctuous receptionist seemed untrustworthy, as if she was only being helpful because she thought we might give her a big tip.

Question 22

undulate

Answer 22

to move in waves

verb

As the storm began to brew, the placid ocean began to undulate to an increasing degree.

Question 23

upbraid

Answer 23

to criticize or scold severely

verb

The last thing Lindsay wanted was for Lisa to upbraid her again about missing the rent payment.

Question 24

usurp

Answer 24

to seize and hold by force or without right

verb

The rogue army general tried to usurp control of the government, but he failed because most of the army backed the legally elected president.

Question 25

utilitarian

Answer 25

relating to or aiming at usefulness

adjective

The beautiful, fragile vase couldn’t hold flowers or serve any other utilitarian purpose.