GRE 3758 (part2: L-Z)

oscillate

vibrate pendulumlike; waver It is interesting to note how public opinion -------- between the extremes of optimism and pessimism.

onslaught

vicious assault We suffered many casualties during unexpected -------- of the enemy troops.

transgression

violation of a law; sin Forgive us our --------; we know not what we do.

peripatetic

walking about; moving The -------- school of philosophy derives its name from the fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils while discussing philosophy with them.

welter

wallow At the height of the battle, the casualties were so numerous that the victims -------- in their blood while waiting for medical attention.

nomadic

wandering Several -------- tribes of Indians would hunt in this area each year.

licentious

wanton; lewd The -------- monarch helped bring about his country's downfall.

parry

ward off a blow He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to -------- his opponent's thrusts.

squander

waste The prodigal son -------- the family estate.

vigilance

watchfulness Eternal -------- is the price of liberty.

vacillate

waver; fluctuate Uncertain which suitor she ought to marry, the princess --------, saying now one, now the other.

tycoon

wealthy leader John D. Rockefeller was a prominent --------.

languid

weary; sluggish Her siege of illness left her -------- and pallid.

sinecure

well-paid position with little responsibility My job is no --------; I work long hours and have much responsibility.

verbose

wordy This article is too --------; we must edit it.

opus

work Although many critics hailed his Fifth Symphony, he did not regard it as his major --------.

sallow

yellowish; sickly in color We were disturbed by his -------- complexion, which was due to jaundice.

submissive

yielding; timid Crushed by his authoritarian father, Will had no defiance left in him; he was totally -------- in the face of authority.

motility

ability to move spontaneously Certain organisms exhibit remarkable --------; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest.

tangible

able to be touched; real Although Tom did not own a house, he had several -------- assets--a car, a television, a PC--that he could sell if he needed cash.

solvent

able to pay all debts By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become -------- and avoid bankruptcy proceedings.

recondite

abstruse; profound He read many -------- books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis.

progenitor

ancestor The Roth family, whose -------- emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois.

ungainly

awkward He is an -------- young man; he trips over everything.

relegate

banish; consign to inferior position If we -------- these experts to minor posts because of their political persuasions, we shall lose their valuable services.

tranquillity

calmness; peace After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the -------- of these fields and forests.

serenity

calmness; placidity The -------- of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous explosion.

rescind

cancel Because of public resentment, the king had to -------- his order.

revoke

cancel; retract Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of alcohol face having their driver's licenses permanently --------.

outspoken

candid; blunt The candidate was too -------- to be a successful politician; he had not yet learned to weigh his words carefully.

taper

candle He lit the -------- on the windowsill.

venal

capable of being bribed The -------- policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the speeding motorist whom he had stopped.

prehensile

capable of grasping or holding Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their -------- tails in traveling through the trees.

viable

capable of maintaining life; practicable The infant, though prematurely born, is -------- and has a good chance to survive.

vagary

caprice; whim She followed every -------- of fashion.

whimsical

capricious; fanciful He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental fancy, an old man's -------- gesture.

tumult

commotion; riot She could not make herself heard over the -------- of the mob.

plenary

complete; full The union leader was given -------- power to negotiate a new contract with the employers.

narcissist

conceited person A -------- is his own best friend.

smirk

conceited smile Wipe that -------- off your face!

olfactory

concerning the sense of smell The -------- organ is the nose.

muddle

confuse; mix up His thoughts were -------- and chaotic.

tureen

deep dish for serving soup The waiters brought the soup to the tables in silver --------.

profound

deep; not superficial Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a -------- thinker.

resolve

determination Nothing could shake his -------- that his children would get the best education that money could buy.

resolution

determination Nothing could shake his -------- to succeed despite all difficulties.

subsidy

direct financial aid by government, etc. Without this --------, American ship operators would not be able to compete in world markets.

squalid

dirty; neglected It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a -------- neighborhood.

nondescript

distinctive; ordinary The private detective was a short, -------- fellow with no outstanding features, the sort of person one would never notice in a crowd.

skeptic

doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view. In this matter, I am a --------; I want proof.

rapport

emotional closeness; harmony In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group have good -------- with one another.

libido

emotional urges behind human activity The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the -------- often resulted in maladjustment and neuroses.

parity

equality; close resemblance I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the -------- between the two illustrations.

plethora

excess; overabundance She offered a -------- of excuses for her shortcomings.

luxuriant

fertile; abundant Farming was easy in this -------- soil.

voluble

fluent; glib She was a -------- speaker, always ready to talk.

noisome

foul smelling; unwholesome I never could stand the -------- atmosphere surrounding the slaughter houses.

malodorous

foul-smelling The component heap was most -------- in summer.

putrid

foul; rotten The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the -------- smell when the bandages were removed.

quadruped

four-footed animal Most mammals are --------.

outskirts

fringes; outer borders Living -------- of Boston, Sarah sometimes felt as if she were cut off from the cultural heart of the city.

porous

full of pores; like a sieve Dancers like to wear -------- clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air.

obsequy

funeral ceremony Hundreds paid their last respects at his --------.

vampire

ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of --------.

serendipity

gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck Many scientific discoveries are a matter of --------: Newton was not sitting there thinking about gravity when the apple dropped on his head.

warranty

guarantee; assurance by seller The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the manufacturer's -------- that he will replace any defective part for five years or 50,000 miles.

pendulous

hanging; suspended The -------- chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were about to fall from the ceiling.

slapdash

haphazard; careless From the number of typos and misspellings I've found on it, it's clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably -------- fashion.

privation

hardship; want In his youth, he knew hunger and --------.

unfledged

immature It is hard for an -------- writer to find a sympathetic publisher.

nascent

incipient; coming into being If we could identify these revolutionary movements in their -------- state, we would be able to eliminate serious trouble in later years.

partiality

inclination; bias As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid any evidence of -------- when I award the prize.

proclivity

inclination; natural tendency The cross old lady has a -------- to grumble.

missive

letter The ambassador received a -------- from the Secretary of State.

lavish

liberal; wasteful The actor's -------- gifts pleased her.

unfettered

liberated; freed from chains Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage despaired that he would ever be --------.

prevaricate

lie Some people believe that to -------- in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie."

modicum

limited quantity Although his story is based on a -------- of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious.

roster

list They print the -------- of players in the season's program.

vernacular

living language; natural style Cut out those old-fashioned "thee's" and "thou's" and write in the --------.

repugnance

loathing She looked at the snake with --------.

retrospective

looking back on the past It is only when we become -------- that we can appreciate the tremendous advances made during this century.

nadir

lowest point Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones averages had reached their -------- and would soon begin an upward surge.

steadfast

loyal; unswerving Penelope was -------- in her affections, faithfully waiting for Ulysses to return from his wanderings.

tepid

lukewarm During the summer, I like to take a -------- bath, not a hot one.

lascivious

lustful Because they might arouse -------- impulses in their readers, the lewd books were banned by the clergy.

lewd

lustful They found his -------- stories objectionable.

libidinous

lustful They objected to his -------- behavior.

monumental

massive Writing a dictionary is a -------- task.

scanty

meager; insufficient Thinking his helping of food was --------, Oliver Twist asked for more.

niggardly

meanly stingy; parsimonious The -------- pittance the widow receives from the government cannot keep her from poverty.

optimum

most favorable If you wait for the -------- moment to act, you may never begin your project .

orifice

mouthlike opening; small opening The Howe Caverns were discovered when someone observed that a cold wind was issuing from an -------- in the hillside.

mobile

movable; not fixed The -------- blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today.

scurry

move briskly The White Rabbit had to -------- to get to his appointment on time.

skulk

move furtively and secretly He -------- through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting any of his former friends.

lumber

move heavily of clumsily Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the bear -------- through the woods.

undulate

move with a wavelike motion The flag -------- in the breeze.

remiss

negligent He was accused of being -------- in his duty when the prisoner escaped.

whinny

neigh like a horse When he laughed through his nose, it sounded as if he --------.

patrician

noble; aristocratic We greatly admired her well-bred, -------- elegance

obnoxious

offensive I find your behavior --------; please mend your ways.

tender

offer; extend Although no formal changes had been made against him, in the wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt he should -------- his resignation.

liaison

officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary As the --------, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two armies.

unctuous

oily; bland Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by -------- protestations of his "humility".

unguent

ointment Apply this -------- to the sore muscles before retiring.

senility

old age; feeble mindedness of old age Most of the decisions are being made by the junior members of the company because of the -------- of the president.

passe

old-fashioned; past the prime Her style is -------- and reminiscent of the Victorian era.

marsupial

one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch The most common -------- in North America is the opossum.

pacifist

one opposed to force; antimilitarist The -------- urged that we reduce our military budget and recall our troops stationed overseas.

saboteur

one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property Members of the Resistance acted as --------, blowing up train lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army.

malingerer

one who feigns illness to escape duty The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all -------- and force them to work.

optometrist

one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects Although an -------- is qualified to treat many eye disorders, she may not use medicines or surgery in her examinations.

misanthrope

one who hates mankind We thought the hermit was a -------- because he shunned our society.

unilateral

one-sided This legislation is -------- since it binds only one party in the controversy.

partisan

one-sided; prejudiced On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a -------- stand.

seep

ooze; trickle During the rainstorm, water -------- through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards.

patent

open for the public to read; obvious It was -------- to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.

overt

open to view According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an -------- act before he may be tried for treason.

mediocre

ordinary; commonplace We were disappointed because he gave a rather -------- performance in this role.

pedestrian

ordinary; unimaginative Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of -------- prose.

proscribe

ostracize; banish Antony, Octavius and Lepidus -------- all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.

upshot

outcome The -------- of the rematch was that the former champion proved that he still possessed all the skills of his youth.

semblance

outward appearance; guise Although this book has a -------- of wisdom and scholarship, a careful examination will reveal many errors and omissions.

travail

painful labor How long do you think a man can endure such -------- and degradation without rebelling?

pallid

pale; wan Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally -------- complexion.

whittle

pare; cut off bits As a present for Aunt Polly, Tom -------- some clothespins out of a chunk of wood.

motley

parti-colored; mixed The captain had gathered a -------- crew to sail the vessel.

penumbra

partial shadow (in an eclipse) During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the --------.

predilection

partiality; preference Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had a -------- for watercolors.

translucent

partly transparent We could not recognize the people in the next room because of the -------- curtains that separated us.

resignation

patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge's bullying with timid --------, he might have gotten up the nerve to hand in his resignation.

stipend

pay for services There is a nominal -------- for this position.

placid

peaceful; calm After his vacation in this -------- section, he felt soothed and rested.

pinnacle

peak We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the -------- while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.

stickler

perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right The Internal Revenue Service agent was a -------- for accuracy; no approximations or rough estimates would satisfy him.

tangential

peripheral; only slightly connected Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with -------- remarks, Lois kept on coming back to her main question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Superman and her?

nonentity

person of no importance; nonexistence Don't dismiss John as a --------; in his quiet way, he's very important to the firm.

poseur

person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others Some thought Dali was a brilliant painter; others dismissed him as a --------.

suborn

persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury) In the Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to -------- the witnesses against Don Michael Corleone.

thermal

pertaining to heat The natives discovered that the host springs gave excellent -------- baths and began to develop their community as a health resort.

linguistic

pertaining to language The modern tourist will encounter very little -------- difficulty as English has become an almost universal language.

vernal

pertaining to spring We may expect -------- showers all during the month of April.

pulmonary

pertaining to the lungs In his researches on -------- diseases, he discovered many facts about the lungs of animals and human beings.

minutia

petty details (usually used in plural) She would have liked to ignore the -------- of daily living.

pediatrician

physician specializing in children's diseases. The family doctor advised the parents to consult a -------- about their child's ailment.

purgatory

place of spiritual expiation In this --------, he could expect no help from his comrades.

pillage

plunder The enemy -------- the quiet village and left it in ruins.

viper

poisonous snake The habitat of the horned --------, a particularly venomous snake, is in sandy regions like the Sahara or the Sinai peninsula.

muse

ponder For a moment he -------- about the beauty of the scene, but his thought soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems.

quell

put down; quiet The police used fire hoses and teat gas to -------- the rioters.

wrangle

quarrel; obtain through arguing They -------- over their inheritance.

thematic

relating to a unifying motif or idea Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about whaling miss is underlying -------- import.

schematic

relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols In working out the solution to an analytical logic question, you may find it helpful to construct a simple -------- diagram illustrating the relationships between the items of information given in the question.

penitent

repentant When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and --------.

rote

repetition He recited the passage by -------- and gave no indication he understood what he was saying.

supplant

replace; usurp Corazon Aquino -------- Ferdinand Marcos as president of the Philippines.

recant

repudiate; withdraw previous statement Unless you -------- your confession, you will be punished severely.

odium

repugnance; dislike I cannot express the -------- I feel at your heinous actions.

vindictive

revengeful She was very -------- and never forgave an injury.

nemesis

revenging agent Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's --------.

venerate

revere In China, the people -------- their ancestors.

resurgent

rising again after defeat, etc. The -------- nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery after total defeat.

paucity

scarcity They closed the restaurant because the -------- of customers made it uneconomical to operate.

seminary

school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his theological training at the local Roman Catholic --------.

primogeniture

seniority by birth By virtue of --------, in some cultures the first-born child has many privileges denied his brothers and sisters.

touchy

sensitive; irascible Do not discuss this phase of the problem as he is very -------- about it.

sentinel

sentry; lookout Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the elementary precaution of posting -------- around the encampment.

toady

servile flatterer; yesman Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't want an independent adviser, he just wants a --------.

premonitory

serving to warn You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these -------- chest pains.

trigger

set off John is touchy today; say one word wrong and you'll -------- an explosion.

liquidate

settle accounts; clear up He was able to -------- all his debts in short period of time.

ordeal

severe trial or affliction Terry Anderson spoke movingly of his long -------- as a hostage in Lebanon.

rigor

severity Many settlers could not stand the -------- of the New England winters.

mangy

shabby; wretched We finally thew out the -------- rug that the dog had destroyed.

nuance

shade of difference in meaning or color The unskilled eye of the layperson has difficulty in discerning the -------- of color in the paintings.

whet

sharpen; stimulate The odors from the kitchen are -------- my appetite; I will be ravenous by the time the meal is served.

painstaking

showing hard work; taking great care The new high-frequency word list is the result of -------- efforts on the part of our research staff.

scintilla

shred; least bit You have not produced a -------- of evidence to support your argument.

vilify

slander She is a liar and is always trying to -------- my reputation.

spangle

small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation The thousands of -------- on her dress sparkled in the glare of the stage lights.

vent

small opening; outlet The wine did not flow because the air -------- in the barrel was clogged.

supererogatory

superfluous; more than needed or demanded We have more than enough witnesses to corroborate your statement; to present any more would be --------.

preponderance

superiority of power, quantity, etc. The rebels sought to overcome the -------- of strength of the government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics.

salutary

tending to improve; beneficial The punishment had a -------- effect on the boy, as he became a model student.

overhaul

thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary It is necessary for the engineers of NASA to -------- the rocket everyday; otherwise, an incident similar to that of Challenger accident might happen.

ominous

threatening Those clouds are --------; they suggest that a severe storm is on the way.

trident

three-pronged spear Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his -------- on his shoulder.

pulsate

throb We could see the blood vessels in his temple -------- as he became more angry.

palpitate

throb; flutter As he became excited, his heart began to -------- more and more erratically.

precipitate

throw headlong; hasten The removal of American political support appeared to have -------- the downfall of the Marcos regime.

titillate

tickle I am here not to -------- my audience but to enlighten it.

tether

tie with a rope Before we went to sleep, we -------- the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night.

quisling

traitor who aids invaders In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the -------- who betrayed their own people and served in the puppet governments established by the Nazis.

quietude

tranquility He was impressed by the air of -------- and peace that pervaded the valley.

pellucid

transparent; limpid After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his -------- style very enjoyable.

trek

travel; journey The tribe made their -------- further north that summer in search of game.

perfidious

treacherous; disloyal When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his -------- friend.

pest

troublesome or annoying person He was a --------; always bothering people.

veracity

truthfulness Trying to prove Hill a liar, Senator Spector repeatedly questioned her --------.

untoward

unfortunate; annoying -------- circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.

singular

unique; extraordinary Though the young man tried to understand Father William's -------- behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly stood on his head.

lumen

unit of light energy (one candle's worth) In buying light bulbs, she checked not only their power, as measured in watts, but their brightness, as measured in --------.

unison

unity of pitch; complete accord The choir sang in --------.

omnipresent

universally present; ubiquitous On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is --------.

mutinous

unruly; rebellious The captain had to use force to quiet his -------- crew.

probity

uprightness; incorruptibility Everyone took his -------- for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.

suavity

urbanity; polish He is particularly good in roles that require -------- and sophistication.

prophylactic

used to prevent disease Despite all -------- measures introduced by the authorities, the epidemic raged until cool weather set in.

wistful

vaguely longing; sadly pensive With a last -------- glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam.

pied

variegated; multicolored The -------- piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore.

sundry

various; several My suspicions were aroused when I read -------- items in the newspapers about your behavior.

toga

Roman outer robe Marc Antony pointed to the slashes in Caesar's --------.

saga

Scandinavian myth; any legend This is a -------- of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.

ventral

abdominal We shall now examine the -------- plates of this serpent, not the dorsal side.

precocious

advanced in development By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was --------.

mannered

affected; not natural Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby adopted a --------, artificial way of speech.

papyrus

ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on --------.

mitigate

appease Nothing he did could -------- her wrath; she was unforgiving.

loath

averse; reluctant They were both -------- for him to go.

temporize

avoid committing oneself; gain time I cannot permit you to -------- any longer; I must have a definite answer today.

reproach

blame; censure I want my work to be above -------- and without error

prompt

cause; provoke Whatever -------- you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet?

pestilential

causing plague; baneful People were afraid to explore the -------- swap.

quack

charlatan; impostor Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this --------; he cannot cure you.

progeny

children; offspring He was proud of his -------- but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.

precipice

cliff; dangerous position Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a --------.

pigment

coloring matter Van Gogh mixed various -------- with linseed oil to create his paints.

militant

combative; bellicose Although at this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more -------- attitude.

pugnacious

combative; disposed to fight As a child he was -------- and fought with everyone.

merger

combination (of two business corporations) When the firm's president married the director of financial planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage, it was a --------.

synthesis

combining parts into a whole Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next problem is to plan its -------- in the laboratory.

solace

comfort in trouble I hope you will find -------- in the thought that all of us share your loss.

solecism

construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many --------.

tainted

contaminated; corrupt Health authorities are always trying to prevent the sale and use of -------- food.

replica

copy Are you going to hang this -------- of the Declaration of Independence in the classroom or in the auditorium?

rectify

correct I want to -------- my error before it is too late.

vitriolic

corrosive; sarcastic Such -------- criticism is uncalled for.

panacea

cure-all; remedy for all diseases There is no easy -------- that will solve our complicated international situation.

malediction

curse The witch uttered -------- against her captors.

wont

custom; habitual procedure As was his --------, he jogged two miles every morning before going to work.

lethal

deadly It is unwise to leave -------- weapons where children may find them.

obituary

death notice I first learned of her death when I read the -------- in the newspaper.

libertine

debauched person, roue Although she was aware of his reputation as a --------, she felt she could reform him and help him break his dissolute way of life.

resolve

decide; settle Homes -------- to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute between Irene Adler and the King.

manifesto

declaration; statement of policy The Communist -------- by Marx and Engels proclaimed the principles of modern communism.

ordinance

decree Passing a red light is a violation of a city --------.

renege

deny; go back on He -------- on paying off his debt.

loathe

detest We -------- the wicked villain.

skulduggery

dishonest behavior The investigation into municipal corruption turned up new instances of -------- daily.

unruly

disobedient; lawless The only way to curb this -------- mob is to use tear gas.

repudiate

disown; disavow He announced that he would -------- all debts incurred by his wife.

provident

displaying foresight; thrifty In his usual -------- manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.

sanctimonious

displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness You do not have to be so -------- to prove that you are devout.

refute

disprove The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to -------- the false testimony of the prosecution's only witness.

notoriety

disrepute; ill fame To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if she couldn't have a good reputation, she'd settle for --------.

profligate

dissipated; wasteful In this -------- company, she lost all sense of decency.

unsavory

distasteful; morally offensive People with -------- reputations should not be allowed to work with young children.

perturb

disturb greatly I am afraid this news will -------- him and cause him grief.

stanza

division of a poem Do you know the last -------- of "The Star-Spangled Banner"?

severance

division; partition The -------- of church and state is a basic principle of our government.

schism

division; split Let us not widen the -------- by further bickering.

vertigo

dizziness We test potential plane pilots for susceptibility to spells of --------.

tractable

docile You will find the children in this school very -------- and willing to learn.

quay

dock; landing place Because of the captain's carelessness, the ship crashed into the --------.

podiatrist

doctor who treats ailments of the feet He consulted a -------- about his fallen arches.

tenet

doctrine; dogma The agnostic did not accept the -------- of their faith.

nocturnal

done at night Mr. Jones obtained a watchdog to prevent the -------- raids on his chicken coops.

latent

dormant; hidden Her -------- talent was discovered by accident.

potion

dose (of liquid) Tristan and Lsolde drink a love -------- in the first act of the opera.

misgivings

doubts Hamlet described his -------- to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil.

oratorio

dramatic poem set to music The Glee Club decided to present an -------- during their recital.

limn

draw; outline Paradoxically, the more realistic the details this artist chooses, the better able to -------- her fantastic, other-worldly landscapes.

primp

dress or groom oneself with care She -------- for hours before a dance.

tipple

drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he -------- with his friends at the local pub.

swill

drink greedily Singing, "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and his fellow pirates -------- their grog.

stolidity

dullness; impassiveness The earthquake shattered his usual --------; trembling, he crouched on the no longer stable ground.

zeal

eager enthusiasm Wang's -------- was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters, inspired by his ardent enthusiasm for the cause.

levee

earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding As the river rose and threatened to overflow the --------, emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls with sandbags.

palliate

ease pain; make less severe or offensive If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to -------- the symptoms.

timid

easily frightened; apprehensive When will this -------- nation have the courage to dispense with British royalty?

queasy

easily nauseated; squeamish As the ship left the harbor, he became -------- and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness.

lucid

easily understood; clear Her explanation was -------- enough for a child to grasp.

omnivorous

eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything Some animals, including humans, are -------- and eat both meat and vegetables; others are either carnivorous or herbivorous.

reverberate

echo; resound The entire valley -------- with the sound of the church bells.

periphery

edge, especially of a round surface He sensed that there was something just beyond the -------- of his vision.

resilient

elastic; having the power of springing back Highly --------, steel makes excellent bedsprings.

manumit

emancipate; free from bondage Enlightened slave owners were willing to -------- their slaves and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country.

reek

emit (odor) The room -------- with stale tobacco smoke.

underscore

emphasize Addressing the jogging class, Kim -------- the importance to runners of good nutrition.

weather

endure the effects of weather or other forces He -------- the changes in his personal life with difficulty, as he had no one in whom to confide.

worldly

engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual You must leave your -------- goods behind you when you go to meet your Maker.

sphinx-like

enigmatic; mysterious The Mona Lisa's -------- expression has puzzled art lovers for centuries.

savor

enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality Relishing his triumph, Costner especially -------- the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his failure.

suppliant

entreating; beseeching He could not resist the dog's -------- whimpering, and he gave it some food.

milieu

environment; means of expression His -------- is watercolors, although he has produced excellent oil paintings and lithographs.

tantamount

equal Your ignoring their pathetic condition is -------- to the murder.

paraphernalia

equipment; odds and ends His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other -------- of the writing craft.

quibble

equivocate; play on words Do not --------; I want a straightforward and definite answer.

perpetual

everlasting Ponce de Leon hoped to find -------- youth.

sinister

evil We must defeat the -------- forces that seek our downfall.

pretext

excuse He looked for a good -------- to get out of paying a visit to his aunt.

pterodactyl

extinct flying reptile The remains of -------- indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.

penury

extreme poverty When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his days in --------.

minute

extremely small The twins resembled one another closely; only -------- differences set them apart.

lilliputian

extremely small Tiny and delicate, the model was built on a -------- scale.

minuscule

extremely small Why should I involve myself with a project with so -------- a chance for success?

physiognomy

face He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character by studying his --------.

visage

face; appearance The stern -------- of the judge indicated that she had decided to impose a severe penalty.

laxative

facilitating evacuation of the bowels The effect of the constipation medicine is --------; it empties the bowels.

philanderer

faithless lover; flirt Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Jack assured Jill he was no --------.

ravel

fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist A single thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to --------.

relapse

fall back or sink again The economy -------- into a depression from the peak.

plummet

fall sharply Stock prices -------- as Wall Street reacted to the rise in interest rates.

windfall

fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event This huge tax refund is quite a --------.

perjury

false testimony while under oath When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for --------.

spurious

false; counterfeit The hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels is an antique dealer who gives the reader advice on how to tell -------- antiques from the real things.

renown

fame For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock gained international -------- when she won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.

zealot

fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal It is good to have a few -------- in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious.

modish

fashionable She always discarded all garments that were no longer --------.

splice

fasten together; unite Before you -------- two strips of tape together, be sure to line them up evenly.

patriarch

father and ruler of a family or tribe In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the --------.

propitious

favorable; kindly I think it is advisable that we wait for a more -------- occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good time.

nepotism

favoritism (to a relative) John left his position with the company because he felt that advancement was based on -------- rather than ability.

xenophobia

fear or hatred of foreigners When the refugee arrived in America, he was unprepared for the -------- he found there.

trepidation

fear; trembling agitation We must face the enemy without -------- if we are to win this battle.

timorous

fearful; demonstrating fear His -------- manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment.

simulate

feign He -------- insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime.

visceral

felt in one's inner organs She disliked the -------- sensations she had whenever she rode the roller coaster.

vixen

female fox; ill-tempered woman Aware that she was right once again, he lost his temper and called her a shrew and a --------.

mercurial

fickle; changing He was of a -------- temperament and therefore unpredictable.

ultimate

final; not susceptible to further analysis Scientists are searching for the -------- truths.

panache

flair; flamboyance Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his -------- and sense of style.

meretricious

flashy; tawdry Her jewels were inexpensive but not --------.

sherbet

flavored dessert ice I prefer raspberry -------- to ice cream since it is less fattening.

limber

flexible Hours of ballet classes kept him --------.

muster

gather; assemble Washington -------- his forces at Trenton.

raspy

grating; harsh The sergeant's -------- voice grated on the recruits' ears.

maul

handle roughly The rock star was -------- by his overexcited fans.

preempt

head off; forestall by acting first Hoping to -------- any attempts by the opposition to make educational reform a hot political issue, the candidate set out her own plan to revitalize the public schools.

recluse

hermit The -------- lived in a hut in the forest.

paramour

illicit lover She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a -------- in another town.

unerringly

infallibly My teacher -------- pounced on the one typographical error in my essay.

purport

intention; meaning If the -------- of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you succeeded admirably.

realm

kingdom; sphere The -------- of possibilities for the new invention was endless.

levity

lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity Stop giggling and wriggling around in the pew; such -------- is improper in church.

pine

languish, decline; long for, yearn Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi -------- for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather.

profusion

lavish expenditure; overabundant condition Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such -------- as at the wedding feast.

sumptuous

lavish; rich I cannot recall when I have had such a -------- Thanksgiving feast.

statute

law We have many -------- in our law books which should be repealed.

litigation

lawsuit Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start --------.

shyster

lawyer using questionable methods. On L.A. Law, respectable attorney Brackman was horrified to learn that his newly discovered half brother was a cheap --------.

spawn

lay eggs Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon returning to -------- in their native streams.

punctilious

laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise We must be -------- in our planning of this affair, for any error may be regarded as a personal affront.

laity

laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy The -------- does not always understand the clergy's problems.

torpor

lethargy; sluggishness Nothing seemed to arouse him from his --------; he had wholly surrendered himself to lethargy.

rabid

like a fanatic; furious He was a -------- follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.

vulpine

like a fox; crafty She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain -------- intelligence.

leonine

like a lion He was -------- in his rage.

ligneous

like wood Petrified wood may be -------- in appearance, but it is stonelike in composition.

parameter

limit; independent variable We need to define the -------- of the problem.

qualified

limited; restricted Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a -------- endorsement.

queue

line They stood patiently in the -------- outside the movie theatre.

repertoire

list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its -------- for the following season.

stygian

literary dark The -------- room reminded him of an empty space.

vegetate

live in a monotonous way I do not understand how you can -------- in this quiet village after the adventurous life you have led.

vivacious

lively or animated; sprightly She had always been -------- and sparkling.

skittish

lively; frisky She is as -------- as a kitten playing with a piece of string.

rousing

lively; stirring "And now, let's have a -------- welcome for TV's own Roseanne Arnold, who'll lead us in a rousing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"

patois

local or provincial dialect His years of study of the language at the university did not enable him to understand the -------- of the natives.

venue

location The attorney asked for a change of --------; he thought his client would do better if the trial were held in a less conservative county.

syllogism

logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument There must be a fallacy in this --------; I cannot accept its conclusion.

valid

logically convincing; sound You're going to have to come up with a better argument if you want to convince me that your reasoning is --------.

lank

long and thin --------, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln was a striking figure.

longevity

long life When he reached ninety, the old man was proud of his --------.

odyssey

long, eventful journey The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying --------.

yen

longing; urge She had a -------- to get away and live on her own for a while.

languish

lose animation; lose strength In stories, lovelorn damsels used to -------- and pine away.

strident

loud and harsh She scolded him in a -------- voice

loll

lounge about They -------- around in their chairs watching television.

sybarite

lover of luxury Rich people are not always --------; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury.

philanthropist

lover of mankind; doer of good As he grew older, he became famous as a -------- and benefactor of the needy.

nether

lower Tradition locates hell in the -------- regions.

supine

lying on back The defeated pugilist lay -------- on the canvas.

mendacious

lying; false He was pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his -------- stories.

rarefied

made less dense [of a gas] The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the -------- atmosphere.

palatial

magnificent He proudly showed us through his -------- home.

stipulate

make express conditions, specify Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe, the president -------- that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.

promulgate

make known by official proclamation or publication As soon as the Civil Service Commission -------- the names of the successful candidates, we shall begin to hire members of our staff.

rejuvenate

make young again The charlatan claimed that his elixir would -------- the aged and weary.

optician

maker and seller of eyeglasses The patient took the prescription given him by his oculist to the --------.

megalomania

mania for doing grandiose things Developers who spend millions trying to build the world's tallest skyscraper suffer from --------.

virile

manly I do not accept the premise that a man is -------- only when he is belligerent.

variegated

many-colored Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a -------- blur.

striated

marked with parallel bands; grooved The glacier left many -------- rocks.

nubile

marriageable Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried about finding suitable husbands for her five -------- daughters.

requiem

mass for the dead; dirge They played Mozart's -------- at the funeral.

sustenance

means of support, food, nourishment In the tropics, the natives find -------- easy to obtain because of all the fruit trees.

mete

measure; distribute He tried to be impartial in his efforts to -------- out justice.

officious

meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services After her long flight, Jill just wanted to nap, but the -------- bellboy was intent on showing her all the special features of the deluxe suite.

tryst

meeting The lovers kept their -------- even though they realized their danger.

rendezvous

meeting place The two fleets met at the -------- at the appointed time.

molten

melted The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by -------- lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.

proletarian

member of the working class The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the -------- of a voice in government.

minatory

menacing; threatening Jabbing a -------- forefinger at Dorothy, the Wicked Witch cried, "I'll get you, and your little dog, too!"

psychosis

mental disorder We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this --------.

mirth

merriment; laughter Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's -------- improper.

lode

metal-bearing vein If this -------- that we have discovered extends for any distance, we have found a fortune.

regime

method or system of government When a Frenchman mentions the Old --------, he refers to the government existing before the revolution.

leniency

mildness; permissiveness Considering the gravity of the offense, we were surprised by the -------- of the sentence.

misdemeanor

minor crime The culprit pleaded guilty to a -------- rather than face trial for a felony.

skirmish

minor fight Custer's troops expected they might run into a -------- or two on maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle.

squabble

minor quarrel; bickering Children invariably get involved in petty --------; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out on their own.

misadventure

mischance; ill luck The young explorer met death by --------.

urchin

mischievous child (usually a boy) Get out! This store is no place for grubby --------!

waggish

mischievous; humorous He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often overlooked the damage he could cause with his -------- tricks.

unassuming

modest He is so -------- that some people fail to realize how great a man he really is.

recount

narrate or tell; count over again About to -------- the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes, Watson lost track of exactly how many cases Holmes had solved and refused to begin his tale until he'd recounted them one by one.

ravine

narrow valley with steep sides Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a -------- is, like them, the product of years of erosion.

philistine

narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too many -------- among us.

sectarian

narrow-minded; limited in scope As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to mere -------- concerns.

sextant

navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude Given a clear night, with the aid of his -------- and compass, he could keep the ship safely on course.

proximity

nearness The deer sensed the hunter's -------- and bounded away.

propinquity

nearness; kinship Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere --------: they were more than relatives; they were true friends.

neologism

new or newly coined word or phrase As we invent new techniques and professions, we must also invent -------- such as "microcomputer" and "astronaut" to describe them.

subtlety

nicety; cunning The -------- of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his audience.

outmoded

no longer stylish; old-fashioned Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy to wear -------- clothes as long as they were clean and unfrayed.

nurture

nourish; educate The head Start program attempts to -------- prekindergarten children so that they will do well when they enter public school.

quorum

number of members necessary to conduct a meeting The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a -------- was present.

missile

object to be thrown or projected Scientists are experimenting with guided --------.

mandatory

obligatory These instructions are --------; any violation will be severely punished.

scurrilous

obscene; indecent Your -------- remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.

recalcitrant

obstinately stubborn Donkeys are reputed to be the most -------- of animals.

procurement

obtaining The personnel department handles the -------- of new employees.

recurrent

occurring again and again These -------- attacks disturbed us and we consulted a physician.

quaint

odd; old-fashioned Her -------- clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric.

rift

opening; break The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a -------- in the clouds.

manipulate

operate with the hands; control or change by artful means How do you -------- these puppets?

tyranny

oppression; cruel government Frederick Douglass fought against the -------- of slavery throughout his entire life.

perimeter

outer boundary To find the -------- of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides.

trappings

outward decorations; ornaments He loved the -------- of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet.

manifestation

outward demonstration; indication Mozart's early attraction to the harpsichord was the first -------- of his pronounced musical bent.

surmount

overcome He had to -------- many obstacles in order to succeed.

simplistic

oversimplified Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was -------- in failing to consider various complicating factors that might arise.

placate

pacify; conciliate The teacher tried to -------- the angry mother.

stipple

paint or draw with dots Seurat carefully -------- dabs of pure color on the canvas, juxtaposing dots of blue and yellow that the viewer's eye would interpret as green.

mauve

pale purple The -------- tint in the lilac bush was another indication that spring had finally arrived.

mollycoddle

pamper; indulge excessively Don't -------- the boy, Maud! You'll spoil him.

sere

parched; dry After the unseasonably dry winter the Berkeley hills looked dusty and --------.

palimpsest

parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the original writings on many --------.

podium

pedestal; raised platform The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the --------.

voyeur

peeping Jill called Jack a -------- when she caught him aiming his binoculars at a bedroom window of the house next door.

pseudonym

pen name Samuel Clemens' -------- was Mark Twain.

transparent

permitting to light to pass through freely; easily detected Your scheme is so -------- that it will fool no one.

ragamuffin

person wearing tattered clothes He felt sorry for the -------- who was begging for food and gave him money to buy a meal.

numismatist

person who collects coins The -------- had a splendid collection of antique coins.

stoic

person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain The doctor called her patient a -------- because he had borne the pain of the examination without whimpering.

optimist

person who looks on the bright side The pessimist says the glass is half-empty; the -------- says it is half-full.

proponent

person who supports or proposes (an idea) After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original -------- didn't want to vote in its favor.

tanner

person who turns animal hides into leather Using a solution of tanbark, the -------- treated the cowhide, transforming it into supple leather.

pyromaniac

person with an insane desire to set things on fire The detectives searched the area for the -------- who had set these costly fires.

pharisaical

pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they advocate are often regarded as -------- and ignored.

piscatorial

pertaining to fishing He spent many happy hours at the lake in his -------- activities.

pecuniary

pertaining to money I never expected a -------- reward for my work in this activity.

somatic

pertaining to the body; physical Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects and emphasize only the corporeal and the -------- ones?

tactile

pertaining to the organs or sense of touch His callused hands had lost their -------- sensitivity.

sensuous

pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses He was stimulated by the sights, sounds and smells about him; he was enjoying his -------- experience.

vignette

picture; short literary sketch The New Yorker published her latest --------.

sheathe

place into a case As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he -------- his dagger and hailed them as friends.

superimpose

place over something else Your attempt to -------- another agency in this field will merely increase the bureaucratic nature of our government.

staccato

played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt, sharp sound His -------- speech reminded one of the sound of a machine gun.

sportive

playful Such a -------- attitude is surprising in a person as serious as you usually are.

piquant

pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating The -------- sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal.

luscious

pleasing to taste or smell The ripe peach was --------.

troth

pledge of good faith especially in betrothal He gave her his -------- and vowed to cherish her always.

solstice

point at which the sun is farthest from the equator The winter -------- usually occurs on December 21.

zenith

point directly overhead in the sky; summit When the sun was at its --------, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset.

matrix

point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the -------- of the Western civilization.

strut

pompous walk His -------- as he marched about the parade ground revealed him for what he was: a pompous buffoon.

vantage

position giving an advantage They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of -------- they could find.

puissant

powerful; strong We must keep his friendship for he will make a -------- ally.

pragmatic

practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something This coming trip to France should provide me with a -------- test of the value of my conversational French class.

pragmatist

practical person No -------- enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can never win

precept

practical rule guiding conduct "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile --------.

salient

prominent One of the -------- features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page.

repercussion

rebound; reverberation I am afraid that this event will have serious --------.

refurbish

renovate; make bright by polishing The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to -------- our belongings.

reticent

reserved; uncommunicative Hughes preferred -------- employees to loquacious ones, noting that the formers' dislike of idle chatter might ensure their discretion about his affairs.

resuscitate

revive The lifeguard tried to -------- the drowned child by applying artificial respiration.

wallow

roll in; indulge in The hippopotamus loves to -------- in the mud.

saline

salty The slightly -------- taste of this mineral water is pleasant.

machinations

schemes I can see through your wily --------.

surreptitious

secret News of their -------- meeting gradually leaked out.

privy

secret; hidden We do not care for -------- chamber of government.

luster

shine; gloss The soft -------- of the silk in the dim light was pleasing.

paean

song of praise or joy -------- celebrating the victory filled the air.

seamy

sordid; unwholesome In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife and children to the -------- side of his life as the son of a Mafia don.

scintillate

sparkle; flash I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the conversation --------.

waffle

speak equivocally about an issue When asked directly about the governor's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the press secretary --------, talking all around the issue.

malign

speak evil of; defame Because of her hatred of the family, she -------- all who are friendly to them.

polyglot

speaking several languages New York City is a -------- community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there.

taxonomist

specialist in classifying (animals, etc.) Dental patterns often enable the -------- to distinguish members of one rodent species from those of another.

velocity

speed The train went by at considerable --------.

tempo

speed of music I find the conductor's -------- too slow for such a brilliant piece of music.

niggle

spend too much time on minor points; carp Let's not -------- over details.

regeneration

spiritual rebirth Modern penologists strive for the -------- of the prisoners.

penurious

stingy; parsimonious He was a -------- man, averse to spending money even for the necessities of life.

proviso

stipulation I am ready to accept your proposal with the two -------- that you meet your obligations within the next two weeks.

provoke

stir up anger; cause retaliation In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not -------- our foe.

prostrate

stretch out full on ground He -------- himself before the idol.

obdurate

stubborn He was -------- in his refusal to listen to our complaints.

obstinate

stubborn We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was -------- and refused to change.

paleontology

study of prehistoric life The professor of -------- had a superb collection of fossils.

subsidiary

subordinate; secondary This information may be used as -------- evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument.

propellant

substance that propels or drives forward The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful --------.

pertinent

suitable; to the point The lawyer wanted to know all the -------- details.

stint

supply; allotted amount He performed his daily -------- cheerfully and willingly.

strut

supporting bar The engineer calculated that the -------- supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced.

reputed

supposed He is the -------- father of the child.

reconnaissance

survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your --------, capture them for questioning.

relic

surviving remnant; memento Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient -------- out of the country.

sultry

sweltering He could not adjust himself to the -------- climate of the tropics.

loquacious

talkative She is very -------- and can speak on the telephone for hours.

soliloquy

talking to oneself The -------- is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions.

obelisk

tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid Cleopatra's Needle is an -------- in New York City's Central Park.

venison

the meat of a deer The hunters dined on --------.

molecule

the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance In chemistry, we study how atoms and -------- react to form new substances.

larceny

theft Because of the prisoner's record, the district attorney refused to reduce the charge from grand -------- to petit larceny.

motif

theme This simple -------- runs throughout the score.

millennium

thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity I do not expect the -------- to come during my lifetime.

rubric

title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony In ordaining the new priests, the bishop carefully observed all the -------- for the ordination service.

terminate

to bring to an end When his contract was -------- unexpectedly, he desperately needed a new job.

nullify

to make invalid Once the contract was --------, it no longer had any legal force.

roil

to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb Be careful when you pour not to -------- the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor.

meander

to wind or turn in its course It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it -------- through the countryside.

stigma

token of disgrace; brand I do not attach any -------- to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.

modulation

toning down; changing from one key to another When we she spoke, it was with quiet -------- of voice.

sinewy

tough; strong and firm The steak was too -------- to chew

orthodox

traditional; conservative in belief Faced with a problem, he preferred to take an -------- approach rather than shock anyone.

turncoat

traitor The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans considered him a --------.

rendition

translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc. The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her -------- of the aria.

lionize

treat as a celebrity She enjoyed being -------- and adored by the public.

trivia

trifles; unimportant matters Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature --------.

torso

trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk This --------, found in the ruins of Pompeii, is now on exhibition in the museum in Naples.

verity

truth; reality The four -------- were revealed to Buddha during his long meditation.

veracious

truthful I can recommend him for this position because I have always found him -------- and reliable.

warren

tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which people live The tenement was a veritable --------, packed with people too poor to live elsewhere.

welter

turmoil; bewildering jumble The existing -------- of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform.

shunt

turn aside; divert If the switchman failed to -------- the Silver Streak onto a side track, the train would plow right into Union Station.

petrify

turn to stone His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to -------- her.

wry

twisted; with a humorous twist We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its -------- wit.

torque

twisting force; force producing rotation With her wrench she applied sufficient -------- to the nut the loosen it.

static

unchanging; lacking development Nothing had changed at home; things were -------- there

mirage

unreal reflection; optical illusion The lost prospector was fooled by a -------- in the desert.

prolix

verbose; drawn out Her -------- arguments irritated and bored the jury.

substantiate

verify; support I intend to -------- my statement by producing witnesses.

protean

versatile; able to take on many forms A remarkably -------- actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role.

wary

very cautious The spies grew -------- as they approached the sentry.

munificent

very generous The -------- gift was presented to the bride by her rich uncle.

rile

vex; irritate Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man to --------.

vital

vibrant and lively; critical The --------, highly energetic first aid instructor stressed that it was vital in examining accident victims to note their vital signs.

quarry

victim; object of a hunt The police closed in on their --------.

throes

violent anguish The -------- of despair can be as devastating as the spasms accompanying physical pain.

ramble

wander aimlessly (physically or mentally) Listening to the teacher --------, Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point.

martial

warlike The sound of -------- music was always inspiring to the young poet.

muggy

warm and damp August in New York City is often --------.

prodigal

wasteful; reckless with money The -------- son squandered his inheritance.

surveillance

watching; guarding The FBI kept the house under constant -------- in the hope of capturing all the criminals at one time.

maelstrom

whirlpool The canoe was tossed about in the --------.

vortex

whirlwind; whirlpool Sucked into the -------- of the tornado, Dorothy and Toto were carried from Kansas to Oz.

pandemic

widespread; affecting the majority of people They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach -------- proportions.

prevalent

widespread; generally accepted A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views -------- in the America of his day.

wangle

wiggle out; fake She tried to -------- an invitation to the party.

pandemonium

wild tumult When the ships collided in the harbor, -------- broke out among the passengers.

lurid

wild; sensational The -------- stories he told shocked his listeners.

sinuous

winding; bending in and out The snake moved in a -------- manner.

tortuous

winding; full of curves Because this road is so --------, it is unwise to go faster than twenty miles an hour on it.

serpentine

winding; twisting The car swerved at every curve in the -------- road.

vintner

winemaker; seller of wine The poet wondered what the -------- could buy that would be half as precious as the wine they sold.

malevolent

wishing evil We must thwart his -------- schemes.

retraction

withdrawal He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a -------- of its statement.

secession

withdrawal The -------- of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his first major problem after his inauguration.

recession

withdrawal; retreat The slow -------- of the flood waters created problems for the crews working to restore power to the area.

wizened

withered; shriveled The -------- old man in the home for the aged was still active and energetic.

witticism

witty saying; facetious remark What you regard as -------- are often offensive to sensitive people.

matriarch

woman who rules a family or larger social group The -------- ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.

verbatim

word for word He repeated the message --------.

onomatopoeia

words formed in imitation of natural sounds Words like "rustle" and "gargle" are illustrations of --------.

militate

work against Your record of lateness and absence will -------- against your chances of promotion.

toil

work laboriously; make slow painful progress You must -------- through 3500 words list in order to achieve a high score on GRE.

mundane

worldly as opposed to spiritual He was concerned only with -------- matters, especially the daily stock market quotations.

secular

worldly; not pertaining to church matters The church leaders decided not interfere in -------- matters.

swathe

wrap around; bandage When I visited him in the hospital, I found him -------- in bandages.

miscreant

wretch; villain His kindness to the -------- amazed all of us who had expected to hear severe punishment pronounced.

subpoena

writ summoning a witness to appear The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a -------- on the reluctant witness.

writ

written command issued by a court The hero of Leonard's novel is a process server who invents unorthodox ways of serving -------- on reluctant parties.

nirvana

Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude Despite his desire to achieve --------, the young Buddhist found that even the buzzing of a fly could distract him from his meditation.

reprobation

severe disapproval The students showed their -------- of his act by refusing to talk with him.

lagoon

shallow body of water near a sea; lake They enjoyed their swim in the calm --------.

shoddy

sham; not genuine You will never get the public to buy such -------- material.

pungency

sharpness; stinging quality The -------- of the cigarette smoke made me cough.

tonsure

shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders His --------, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he was a member of the religious order.

molt

shed or cast off hair or feathers The male robin -------- in the spring.

lustrous

shining Her large and -------- eyes gave a touch of beauty to an otherwise drab face.

luminous

shining; issuing light The sun is a -------- body.

parable

short, simple story teaching a moral Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this -------- teaches.

pedantic

showing off learning; bookish Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all -------- legal scholar.

ostentatious

showy; pretentious Trump's latest casino in Atlantic City is the most -------- gambling place in the East: it easily outglitters its competitors.

wince

shrink back; flinch The screech of the chalk on the blackboard made her --------.

wither

shrivel; decay Cut flowers are beautiful for a day, but all too soon they --------.

occlude

shut; close A blood clot -------- an artery to the heart.

mawkish

sickening; insipid Your -------- sighs fill me with disgust.

winnow

sift; separate good parts from bad This test will -------- out the students who study from those who don't bother.

portent

sign; omen He regarded the black cloud as a -------- of evil.

muted

silent; muffled In the funeral parlor, the mourners' voices had a -------- quality.

synchronous

similarly timed; simultaneous with We have many examples of scientists in different parts of the world who have made -------- discoveries.

warble

sing; babble Every morning the birds -------- outside her window.

scuttle

sink The sailors decided to -------- their vessel rather than surrender it to the enemy.

ulterior

situated beyond; unstated and often questionable You must have an -------- motive for your behavior, since there is no obvious reason for it.

obloquy

slander; disgrace I resent the -------- that you are casting upon my reputation.

revile

slander; vilify He was avoided by all who feared that he would -------- and abuse them if they displeased him.

oblique

slanting; deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line The sergeant ordered the men to march "-------- right."

shambles

slaughterhouse; scene of carnage By the time the police arrived, the room was a --------.

thrall

slave; bondage The captured soldier was held in -------- by the conquering army.

servitude

slavery; compulsory labor Born a slave, Douglass resented his wife of -------- and plotted to escape to the North.

servile

slavish; cringing Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a -------- creature.

obsequious

slavishly attentive; servile Helen valued people who behaved as if they respected themselves; nothing irritated her more than an excessively -------- waiter or a fawning salesclerk.

opiate

sleep producer; deadener of pain By such --------, she made the people forget their difficulties and accept their unpleasant circumstances.

soporific

sleep producing I do not need a sedative when I listen to one of his -------- speeches.

somnambulist

sleepwalker The most famous -------- in literature is Lady Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play.

legerdemain

sleight of hand The magician demonstrated his renowned --------.

smattering

slight knowledge I don't know whether it is better to be ignorant of a subject or to have a mere -------- of information about it.

peccadillo

slight offense If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they are mere -------- rather than major crimes.

slither

slip or slide During the recent ice storm, many people -------- down this hill as they walked to the station.

ramp

slope; inclined plane The house was built with -------- instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room and floor to floor.

slacken

slow up; loosen As they passed the finish line, the runners -------- their pace.

sloth

slow-moving tree-dwelling mammal Note how well the somewhat greenish coat of the -------- enables it to blend in with its arboreal surroundings.

sluggish

slow; lazy After two nights without sleep, she felt -------- and incapable of exertion.

laggard

slow; sluggish The sailor had been taught not to be -------- in carrying out orders.

stealth

slyness; sneakiness Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his way toward the enemy camp with great --------.

satellite

small body revolving around a larger one During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of -------- were launched by Russia and the United States.

mote

small speck The tiniest -------- in the eye is very painful.

rivulet

small stream As the rains continued, the trickle of water running down the hillside grew into a -------- that threatened to wash away a portion of the slope.

microcosm

small world In the -------- of our rural village, we find illustrations of all the evils that beset the universe.

skiff

small, light sailboat or rowboat Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a -------- he could sail in the bay.

pallet

small, poor bed The weary traveler went to sleep on his straw --------.

whit

smallest speck There is not a -------- of intelligence or understanding in your observations.

simper

smirk; smile affectedly Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously --------.

rebuff

snub; beat back She -------- his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed.

negligible

so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded Because the damage to his car had been --------, Michael decided he wouldn't bother to report the matter to his insurance company.

saturate

soak Their clothes were -------- by the rain.

steep

soak; saturate Be sure to -------- the fabric in the dye bath for the full time prescribed.

sodden

soaked; dull, as if from drink He set his -------- overcoat near the radiator to dry.

staid

sober; sedate Her conduct during the funeral ceremony was -------- and solemn.

pariah

social outcast I am not a -------- to be shunned and ostracized.

plutocracy

society ruled by the wealthy From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a -------- rather than a democracy.

quagmire

soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was going to extricate herself from this --------.

macerate

soften by soaking in liquid; waste away The strawberries had been soaking in the champagne for so long that they had begun to --------: they literally fell apart at the touch of a spoon.

monolithic

solidly uniform; unyielding Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots sought to present a -------- front.

scapegoat

someone who bears the blame for others After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for -------- on whom they could cast the blame.

ventriloquist

someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing This -------- does an act in which she has a conversation with a wooden dummy.

spendthrift

someone who wastes money Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into -------- who shop till they drop.

perennial

something long-lasting These plants are hardy -------- and will bloom for many years.

novelty

something new; newness The computer is no longer a -------- around the office.

sleeper

something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic --------.

precedent

something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action This decision sets a -------- for future cases of a similar nature.

mollify

soothe We tried to -------- the hysterical child by promising her many gifts.

pacify

soothe; make calm or quiet Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to -------- them.

poultice

soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body He was advised to apply a flaxseed -------- to the inflammation.

wizardry

sorcery; magic Merlin amazed the knights with his --------.

prate

speak foolishly; boast idly Let us not -------- about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves.

polarize

split into opposite extremes or camps The abortion issue has -------- the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps.

rend

split; tear apart In his grief, he tried to -------- his garments.

vitiate

spoil the effect of; make inoperative Fraud will -------- the contract.

mottled

spotted When he blushed, his face took on a -------- hue.

maculated

spotted; stained Instead of writing that Gorbachev had a birthmark on his forehead, the pompous young poet sang of the former premier's -------- brow.

suffuse

spread over A blush -------- her cheeks when we teased her about her love affair.

strew

spread randomly; sprinkle Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will -------- rose petals along the aisle.

pervasive

spread throughout Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the -------- odor of mothballs that clung to them.

spat

squabble; minor dispute What had started out as a mere -------- escalated into a full-blown argument.

writhe

squirm, twist He was -------- in pain, desperate for the drug his body required.

musty

stale; spoiled by age The attic was dark and --------.

scotch

stamp out; thwart Heather tried to -------- the rumor that she had stolen her best friend's fiance.

philatelist

stamp-collector When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was inspired to become a --------.

rout

stampede; drive out The reinforcements were able to -------- the enemy

stupor

state of apathy; daze In his --------, the addict was unaware of the events taking place around him.

multiplicity

state of being numerous He was appalled by the -------- of details he had to complete before setting out on his mission.

parallelism

state of being parallel; similarity There is a striking -------- between the twins.

responsiveness

state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc. The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers by its --------.

turbulence

state of violent agitation We were frightened by the -------- of the ocean during the storm.

paradox

statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of --------.

unfaltering

steadfast She approached the guillotine with -------- steps.

plagiarize

steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own The editor could tell that the writer had -------- parts of the article; he could recognize whole paragraphs from the original source.

lurk

stealthily lie in waiting; slink "Who knows what evils -------- in the hearts of men? The shadow knows."

precipitous

steep; overhasty This hill is difficult to climb because it is so --------; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.

protrude

stick out His fingers -------- from the holes in his gloves.

viscous

sticky, gluey Melted tar is a -------- substance.

rigid

stiff and unyielding; strict By living with a man to whom she was not married, George Eliot broke Victorian society's most -------- rule of respectable behavior.

parsimonious

stingy; excessively frugal His -------- nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries.

miserly

stingy; mean The -------- old man hoarded his coins not out of prudence but out of greed.

stoke

stir up a fire; feed plentifully As a Scout, Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to -------- it if it started to die down, and how to extinguish it completely.

suture

stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing We will remove the -------- as soon as the wound heals.

squat

stocky; short and thick Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat --------, sturdy little creatures, fond of good ale, good music, and good food.

touchstone

stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion What -------- can be used to measure the character of a person?

repository

storehouse Libraries are -------- of the world's best thoughts.

raconteur

story-teller My father was a gifted -------- with an unlimited supply of anecdotes.

portly

stout; corpulent The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as -------- rather than fat.

uncanny

strange; mysterious You have the -------- knack of reading my innermost thoughts.

throttle

strangle The criminal tried to -------- the old man with his bare hands.

vagrant

stray; random He tried to study, but could not collect his -------- thoughts.

stamina

strength; staying power I doubt that she has the -------- to run the full distance of the marathon race.

undergird

strengthen the base of Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics, cosmology was -------- by it.

martinet

strict disciplinarian The commanding officer was a -------- who observed each regulation to the letter.

percussion

striking one object against another sharply The drum is a -------- instrument.

saunter

stroll slowly As we -------- through the park, we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers.

transport

strong emotion Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in -------- of joy over a vivid sunset, at another moment in transports of grief over a dying bird.

penchant

strong inclination; liking He had a strong -------- for sculpture and owned many statues.

stalwart

strong, brawny; steadfast His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a -------- and loyal member.

scuffle

struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry. The twins briefly --------, wrestling to see which of them would get the toy. When their big brother yelled, "Let go of my Gameboy!" they scuffled off down the hall.

pertinacious

stubborn; persistent He is bound to succeed because his -------- nature will not permit him to quit.

refractory

stubborn; unmanageable The -------- horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.

perverse

stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable When Hannibal Lecter was in a -------- mood, he ate the flesh of his victims.

pore

study industriously; ponder Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours -------- over her anatomy text.

philology

study of language The professor of -------- advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language.

stodgy

stuffy; boringly conservative For a young person, Winston seems remarkably --------: you'd expect someone of his age to have a little more life.

oaf

stupid, awkward person He called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy --------.

rakish

stylish; sporty He wore his hat at a -------- and jaunty angle.

urbane

suave; refined The courtier was -------- and sophisticated

quash

subdue; crush The authorities acted quickly to -------- the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators.

meek

submissive; patient and long-suffering Mr. Barrett never expected his -------- daughter would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor.

subaltern

subordinate The captain treated his -------- as though they were children rather than commissioned officers.

surrogate

substitute For a fatherless child, a male teacher may become a father --------.

spate

sudden flood I am worried about the possibility of a -------- if the rains do not diminish soon.

revulsion

sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction Many people in this country who admired dictatorships underwent a -------- when they realized what Hitler and Mussolini were trying to do.

potable

suitable for drinking The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water --------.

menial

suitable for servants; low I cannot understand why a person of your ability and talent should engage in such -------- activities.

recapitulate

summarize Let us -------- what has been said thus far before going ahead.

vertex

summit Let us drop a perpendicular line from the -------- of the triangle to the base.

perfunctory

superficial; not thorough The auditor's -------- inspection of the books overlooked many errors.

redundant

superfluous; excessively wordy Your composition is --------; you can easily reduce its length.

litany

supplicatory prayer On this solemn day, the congregation responded to the prayers of the priest during the -------- with fervor and intensity.

patronize

support; act superior toward Experts in a field sometimes appear to -------- people who are less knowledgeable of the subject.

putative

supposed; reputed Although there are some doubts, the -------- author of this work is Massinger.

stifle

suppress; extinguish Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to -------- her yawns.

satiate

surfeit; satisfy fully The guests, having eaten until they were --------, now listened inattentively to the speakers.

outstrip

surpass; outdo Jesse Owens easily -------- his competitors to win the gold metal at the Olympic Games.

vulnerable

susceptible to wounds Achilles was -------- only in his heel.

leery

suspicious; cautious Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit -------- about how fresh it is.

miasma

swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome, reeking of decay, it was a visible --------.

meteoric

swift; momentarily brilliant We all wondered at his -------- rise to fame.

natation

swimming The Red Cross emphasizes the need for courses in --------.

turgid

swollen; distended The -------- river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the countryside.

tumid

swollen; pompous I especially dislike his -------- style; I prefer writing which is less swollen and bombastic.

methodical

systematic An accountant must be -------- and maintain order among his financial records.

retroactive

taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax) Because the new pension law was -------- to the first of the year, even though Martha had retired in February she was eligible for the pension.

resumption

taking up again; recommencement During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he missed university life: at the -------- of classes, however, he felt marked excitement and pleasure.

palpable

tangible; easily perceptible I cannot understand how you could overlook such a -------- blunder.

prey

target of a hunt; victim In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his -------- not wild beasts but wild plants.

sully

tarnish; soil He felt that it was beneath his dignity to -------- his hands in such menial labor.

savory

tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create -------- delicacies for their guests.

quip

taunt You are unpopular because you are too free with your -------- and sarcastic comments.

tribute

tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect The colonists refused to pay -------- to a foreign despot.

tithe

tax of one-tenth Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his -------- to the clergy.

pedagogue

teacher He could never be a stuffy --------; his classes were always lively and filled with humor.

sophist

teacher of philosophy; quibbler You are using all the devices of a -------- in trying to prove your case; your argument is specious.

pedagogy

teaching; art of education Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in --------, it took years before her teaching techniques became common practice in American schools.

rent

tear or rip; split The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a -------- in the social fabric that will be difficult to mend.

tantalize

tease; torture with disappointment Tom loved to -------- his younger brother with candy; he knew the boy was forbidden to have it.

remission

temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of a debt Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his symptoms were in --------, and he was considered fit to handle the strains of a Presidential race.

scaffold

temporary platform for workers; bracing framework Before painting the house, the workers put up a -------- to allow them to work on the second story.

sojourn

temporary stay After his -------- in Florida, he began to long for the colder climate of his native New England home.

reprieve

temporary stay During the twenty-four-hour --------, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent.

pathos

tender to sorrow; pity The quiet tone of -------- that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental.

subversive

tending to overthrow; destructive At first glance, the notion that Styrofoam cups may actually be more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most environmentalists as --------.

provisional

tentative The appointment is --------; only on the approval of the board of directors will it be made permanent.

nomenclature

terminology; system of names She struggled to master scientific --------.

terminology

terms used in a science or art The special -------- developed by some authorities in the field has done more to confuse laypersons than to enlighten them.

sententious

terse; concise After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his -------- style particularly pleasing.

libretto

text of an opera The composer of an opera's music is remembered more frequently than the author of its --------.

occident

the West It will take -------- to understand the ways and customs of the orient.

unction

the act of anointing with oil The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme --------.

prosody

the art of versification This book on -------- contains a rhyming dictionary as well as samples of the various verse forms.

pachyderm

thick-skinned animal The elephant is probably the best-known --------.

veneer

thin layer; cover Casual acquaintances were deceived by his -------- of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental shallowness.

tenuous

thin; rare The allegiance of our allies is held by rather -------- ties; let us hope they will remain loyal.

wispy

thin; slight Worried about preserving his few -------- tufts of hair, Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair restorer every night.

tertiary

third He is so thorough that he analyzes -------- causes where other writers are content with primary and secondary reasons.

platitude

trite remark; commonplace statement The -------- in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks were.

superficial

trivial; shallow Since your report gave only a -------- analysis of the problem, I cannot give you more than a passing grade.

petty

trivial; unimportant She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few -------- quibbles that were almost too minor to state.

unsightly

ugly Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse, he occasionally became queasy when faced with a particularly -------- injury.

unwonted

unaccustomed He hesitated to assume the -------- role of master of ceremonies at the dinner.

unprepossessing

unattractive During adolescence many attractive young people somehow acquire the false notion that their appearance is --------.

unseemly

unbecoming; indecent Your levity is -------- at this time of mourning.

precarious

uncertain; risky I think this stock is a -------- investment and advise against its purchase.

manifest

understandable; clear His evil intentions were -------- and yet we could not stop him.

litotes

understatement for emphasis To say, "He little realizes," when we mean that he does not realize at all, is an example of the kind of understatement we call --------.

tacit

understood; not put into words We have a -------- agreement based on only a handshake.

mortician

undertaker The -------- prepared the corpse for burial.

malaise

uneasiness; distress She felt a sudden vague -------- when she heard sounds at the door.

unintimidating

unfrightening Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe Montana, he found the experience -------- and relaxing.

unscathed

unharmed They prayed he would come back from the war --------.

unwitting

unintentional; not knowing She was the -------- tool of the swindlers

unwarranted

unjustified; groundless We could not understand Martin's -------- rudeness to his mother's guests.

uninhibited

unrepressed The congregation was shocked by her -------- laughter during the sermon.

wanton

unrestrained; willfully malicious Pointing to the stack of bills, Sheldon criticized Sarah for her -------- expenditures. In response, Sara accused Sheldon of making an unfounded, wanton attack.

unassuaged

unsatisfied; not soothed Her anger is -------- by your apology.

unconscionable

unscrupulous; excessive She found the load shark's demands -------- and impossible to meet.

studied

unspontaneous; deliberate Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his name from the guest list was a -------- insult.

untenable

unsupportable I find your theory -------- and must reject it.

unsullied

untarnished I am happy that my reputation is --------.

slovenly

untidy; slipshod Such -------- work habits will never produce good products.

rectitude

uprightness He was renowned for his -------- and integrity.

nebulous

vague; hazy She had only a -------- memory of her grandmother's face.

multifarious

varied; greatly diversified A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the -------- activities of her daily life.

retribution

vengeance; compensation The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact -------- from the sinners.

tarantula

venomous spider We need an antitoxin to counteract the bite of the --------.

mammal

vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a --------.

plumb

vertical Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a -------- line from the ceiling as a guide.

pernicious

very destructive, harmful He argued that these books had a -------- effect on young and susceptible minds.

lofty

very high They used to tease him about his -------- ambitions.

momentous

very important On this -------- occasion, we must be very solemn.

myriad

very large number -------- of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village every twilight.

pauper

very poor person Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a --------.

prim

very precise and formal; exceedingly proper Many people commented on the contrast between the -------- attire of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.

mite

very small object or creature; small coin Gnats are annoying -------- that sing.

nefarious

very wicked He was universally feared because of his many -------- deeds.

robust

vigorous; strong The candidate for the football team had a -------- physique.

spry

vigorously active; nimble She was eighty years old, yet still -------- and alert.

profane

violate; desecrate Tourists are urged not to -------- the sanctity of holy places by wearing improper garb.

unbridled

violent She had a sudden fit of -------- rage.

vagabond

wanderer; tramp In summer, college students wander the roads of Europe like carefree --------.

migratory

wandering The return of the -------- birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring.

ribald

wanton; profane He sang a -------- song that offended many of the more prudish listeners.

undermine

weaken; sap The recent corruption scandals have -------- many people's faith in the city government.

ponderous

weighty; unwieldy His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always --------.

unique

without an equal; single in kind You have the -------- distinction of being the first student whom I have had to fail in this course.

random

without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were chosen at --------, people had their suspicions when the grand prize went to the sponsor's brother-in-law.

solicitous

worried, concerned The employer was very -------- about the health of her employees as replacements were difficult to get.

misnomer

wrong name; incorrect designation His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric the Just, was a --------.

malfeasance

wrongdoing The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's -------- until after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled.

succumb

yield; give in I -------- to temptation whenever it comes my way.

whelp

young wolf, dog, tiger, etc. This collie -------- won't do for breeding, but he'd make a fine pet.

psychiatrist

a doctor who treats mental diseases A -------- often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made.

legacy

a gift made by a will Part of my -------- from my parents is an album of family photographs.

scad

a great quantity Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks: I've got -------- of clothes."

orientation

act of finding oneself in society Freshman -------- provides the incoming students with an opportunity to learn about their new environment and their place in it.

summation

act of finding the total, summary In his --------, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by the two witnesses.

volition

act of making a conscious choice She selected this dress of her own --------.

vicarious

acting as a substitute; done by a deputy Many people get a -------- thrill at the movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen.

pantomime

acting without dialogue Because he worked in --------, the clown could be understood wherever he appeared.

vigor

active strength Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the -------- of a man in his prime.

viscid

adhesive; gluey The trunk of the maple tree was -------- with sap.

suffragist

advocate of voting rights (for women) In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the -------- Susan B. Anthony.

mincing

affectedly dainty Yum-Yum walked across the stage with -------- steps.

posthumous

after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death) The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the -------- publication of his last novel that they recognized his great talent.

truculence

aggressiveness; ferocity Tynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general tone of --------.

winsome

agreeable; gracious By her -------- manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her.

palatable

agreeable; pleasing to the taste Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were -------- to me.

succor

aid; assistance We shall be ever grateful for the -------- our country gave us when we were in need.

omniscient

all-knowing I do not pretend to be --------, but I am positive about this fact.

omnipotent

all-powerful The monarch regarded himself as -------- and responsible to no one for his acts.

waylay

ambush; lie in wait They agreed to -------- their victim as he passed through the dark alley going home.

rider

amendment or clause added to a legislative bill Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add an antipollution -------- to the bill.

reparation

amends; compensation At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay -------- to the victors.

yield

amount produced; crop An experienced farmer can estimate the annual -------- of his acres with surprising accuracy.

wrath

anger; fury She turned to him, full of --------, and said, "What makes you think I'll accept lower pay for this job than you get?"

parasite

animal or plant living on another; toady The tapeworm is an example of the kind of -------- that may infest the human body.

vex

annoy; distress Please try not to -------- your mother; she is doing the best she can.

nettle

annoy; vex Do not let him -------- you with his sarcastic remarks.

perquisite

any gain above stipulated salary The -------- attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates.

ostensible

apparent; professed Although the -------- purpose of this expedition is to discover new lands, we are really interested in finding new markets for our products.

verisimilitude

appearance of truth; likelihood Critics praised her for the -------- of her performance as Lady Macbeth. She was completely believable.

propitiate

appease The natives offered sacrifices to -------- the gods.

ratify

approve formally; verify Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be -------- by the president.

sanction

approve; ratify Nothing will convince me to -------- the engagement of my daughter to such a worthless young man.

plauditory

approving; applauding The theatrical company reprinted the -------- comments of the critics in its advertisement.

stem from

arise from Milton's problems in school -------- his poor study habits.

symmetry

arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity The addition of a second tower will give this edifice the -------- that it now lacks.

presumptuous

arrogant; taking liberties It seems -------- for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.

rhetoric

art of effective communication; insincere or grandiloquent language All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in --------.

treatise

article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly He is preparing a -------- on the Elizabethan playwrights for his graduate degree.

sluice

artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water In times of drought, this -------- enables farmers to obtain water for irrigation.

synthetic

artificial; resulting from synthesis During the twentieth century, many -------- products have replaced the natural products.

sophistication

artificiality; unnaturalness -------- is an acquired characteristic, found more frequently among city dwellers than among residents of rural areas.

posture

assume an affected pose; act artificially No matter how much Arnold boasted or --------, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended to be.

supposititious

assumed; counterfeit I find no similarity between your -------- illustration and the problem we are facing.

premise

assumption; postulate Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty --------, his opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes in his logic.

quiescent

at rest; dormant After this geyser erupts, it will remain -------- for twenty-four hours.

moribund

at the point of death The doctors called the family to the bedside of the -------- patient.

offensive

attacking; insulting Getting into street brawls is no minor offense for professional boxers, who are required by law to restrict their -------- impulses to the ring.

personable

attractive The man I am seeking to fill this position must be -------- since he will be representing us before the public.

magisterial

authoritative; imperious The learned doctor laid down the law to his patient in a -------- tone of voice.

proxy

authorized agent Please act as my -------- and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence.

shirk

avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never -------- any responsibility.

unwieldy

awkward; cumbersome The large carton was so -------- that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs.

mendicant

beggar From the moment we left the ship, we were surrounded by -------- and peddlers.

novice

beginner Even a -------- can do good work if he follows these simple directions.

tyro

beginner; novice For a mere --------, you have produced some marvelous results.

subservient

behaving like a slave; servile He was proud and dignified; he refused to be -------- to anyone.

ubiquitous

being everywhere; omnipresent That Christmas "The Little Drummer Boy" seemed --------: Justin heard the tune everywhere he went.

monotheism

belief in one God Abraham was the first to proclaim his belief in --------.

pessimism

belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there is little reason for your --------.

subliminal

below the threshold We may not be aware of the -------- influences that affect our thinking.

refraction

bending of a ray of light When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because of the -------- of the light by the water.

preternatural

beyond that which is normal in nature John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost --------.

partial

biased; having a liking for something I am extremely -------- to chocolate eclairs.

obligatory

binding; required It is -------- that books borrowed from the library be returned within two weeks.

stringent

binding; rigid I think these regulations are too --------.

mordant

biting; sarcastic Actors feared the critic's -------- pen.

rancor

bitterness; hatred Let us forget out -------- and cooperate in this new endeavor.

outlandish

bizarre; peculiar The eccentric professor who engages in markedly -------- behavior is a stock figure in novels with an academic setting.

necromancy

black magic; dealings with the dead Because he was able to perform feats of --------, the natives thought he was in league with the devil.

obsidian

black volcanic rock The deposits of -------- on the mountain slopes were an indication that volcano had erupted in ancient times.

unimpeachable

blameless and exemplary Her conduct in office was -------- and her record is spotless.

vendetta

blood feud The rival mobs engaged in a bitter --------.

sanguinary

bloody The battlewas unexpectedly -------- with many casualties.

obtuse

blunt; stupid Because he was so --------, he could not follow the teacher's reasoning and asked foolish questions.

palette

board on which a painter mixes pigments At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper -------- that may be discarded after use.

vaunted

boasted; bragged This much -------- project proved a disappointment when it collapsed.

magniloquent

boastful, pompous In their stories of the trial, the reporters ridiculed the -------- speeches of the defense attorney.

vainglorious

boastful; excessively conceited She was a -------- and arrogant individual.

regatta

boat or yacht race Many boating enthusiasts followed the -------- in their own yachts.

revelry

boisterous merrymaking New Year's Eve is a night of --------.

obstreperous

boisterous; noisy The crowd became -------- and shouted their disapproval of the proposals made by the speaker.

venturesome

bold A group of -------- women were the first to scale Mt. Annapurna.

temerity

boldness; rashness Do you have the -------- to argue with me?

stilted

bombastic; stiffly pompous His -------- rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they were immune to bombastic utterances.

verge

border; edge Madame Curie knew she was on the -------- of discovering the secrets of radioactive elements.

maritime

bordering on the sea; nautical The -------- Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth.

tedium

boredom; weariness We hope this radio will help overcome the -------- of your stay in the hospital.

overbearing

bossy; arrogant Certain of her own importance and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably -------- in manner. "In choosing a husband," she said, "good birth is of overbearing importance; compared to that, neither wealth nor talent signified

obeisance

bow She made an -------- as the king and queen entered the room.

pugilist

boxer The famous -------- Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali.

ramification

branching out; subdivision We must examine all the -------- of this problem.

valor

bravery He received the Medal of Honor for his -------- in battle.

respiration

breathing; exhalation The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had adversely affected both his lung capacity and his rate of --------.

succinct

brief; terse His remarks are always -------- and pointed.

resplendent

brilliant; lustrous The toreador wore a -------- costume called a suit of lights.

nonplus

bring to a halt by confusion; perplex Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness -------- Jill, leaving her uncertain how to react.

rationalization

bringing into conformity with reason All attempts at -------- at this time are doomed to failure; tempers and emotions run too high for intelligent thought to prevail.

spatula

broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing The manufacturers of this frying pan recommended the use of a rubber -------- to avoid scratching the specially treated surface.

sibling

brother or sister We may not enjoy being --------, but we cannot forget that we still belong to the same family.

voluminous

bulky; large Despite her family burdens, she kept up a -------- correspondence with her friends.

ruffian

bully; scoundrel The -------- threw stones at the police.

sheaf

bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together The lawyer picked up a -------- of papers as he rose to question the witness.

onus

burden; responsibility The emperor was spared the -------- of signing the surrender papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals.

onerous

burdensome He asked for an assistant because his work load was too --------.

smolder

burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment The rags -------- for hours before they burst into flame.

terse

concise; abrupt I admire his -------- style of writing; he comes directly to the point.

pithy

concise; meaty I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and --------.

peroration

conclusion of an oration The -------- was largely hortatory and brought the audience to its feet clamoring for action at its close.

parley

conference The peace -------- has not produced the anticipated truce.

validate

confirm; ratify I will not publish my findings until I -------- my results.

obfuscate

confuse; muddle Do not -------- the issues by dragging in irrelevant arguments.

turmoil

confusion; strife Conscious he had sinned, he was in a state of spiritual --------.

nexus

connection I fail to see the -------- that binds these two widely separated events.

subjugate

conquer; bring under control It is not our aim to -------- our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.

scrupulous

conscientious; extremely thorough I can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have found him a very -------- young man.

prominent

conspicuous; notable Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's -------- ears make him resemble the big-eared character in Mad comics?

trough

container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.) The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the --------. The surfer rode her board, coasting along in the trough between two waves.

supercilious

contemptuous; haughty I prefer Jill's modesty to Jack's -------- and arrogant attitude.

vie

contend; compete Politicians -------- with one another, competing for donations and votes.

restraint

controlling force She dreamt of living an independent life, free of all --------.

polemic

controversy; argument in support of point of view Her essays were, for the main part, -------- for the party's policy.

transcribe

copy When you -------- your notes, please send a copy to Mr. Smith and keep the original for our files.

reconcile

correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel Every time we try to -------- our checkbook with the bank statement, we quarrel. However, despite these monthly lovers' quarrels, we always manage to reconcile.

orthography

correct spelling Many of us find English -------- difficult to master because so many of our words are written phonetically.

perversion

corruption; turning from right to wrong Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not understand his --------.

mentor

counselor; teacher During this very trying period, she could not have had a better --------, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.

recrimination

countercharges Loud and angry -------- were her answer to his accusations.

yokel

country bumpkin At school, his classmates regarded him as a -------- and laughed at his rustic mannerisms.

pluck

courage Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by the boy's -------- in trying to rescue the archeological treasure they had stolen.

mettle

courage; spirit When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its -------- by its determination to hold the lead.

tribunal

court of justice The decision of the -------- was final and the prisoner was sentenced to death.

pusillanimous

cowardly; fainthearted You should be ashamed of your -------- conduct during this dispute.

quail

cower; lose heart He was afraid that he would -------- in the face of danger.

machiavellian

crafty; double-dealing I do not think he will be a good embassador because he is not accustomed to the -------- maneuverings of foreign diplomats.

zany

crazy; comic I can watch the Marx brothers' -------- antics for hours.

statutory

created by statute or legislative action The judicial courts review and try -------- crimes.

malefactor

criminal We must try to bring these -------- to justice.

stricture

critical comments; severe and adverse criticism His -------- on the author's style are prejudiced and unwarranted.

pan

criticize harshly Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics -------- it unanimously.

throng

crowd -------- of shoppers jammed the aisles.

pulverize

crush or grind into very small particles Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first -------- them into a fine powder.

wily

cunning; artful She is as -------- as a fox in avoiding trouble.

therapeutic

curative Now better known for its racetrack, Saratoga Springs first gained attention for the -------- qualities of its famous "healing waters."

mores

customs The -------- of Mexico are those of Spain with some modifications.

prune

cut away; trim With the help of her editor, she was able to -------- her manuscript into publishable form.

retrench

cut down; economize If they were to be able to send their children to college, they would have to --------.

truncate

cut the top off The top of the cone that has been -------- in a plane parallel to its base is a circle.

trenchant

cutting; keen I am afraid of his -------- wit for it is so often sarcastic.

quotidian

daily; commonplace To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as merely -------- routine.

marred

damaged; disfigured She had to refinish the -------- surface of the table.

perdition

damnation; complete ruin Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal --------.

swarthy

dark; dusky Despite the stereotype, not all Italians are --------; many are fair and blond.

opaque

dark; not transparent The -------- window kept the sunlight out of the room.

obscure

dark; vague Even after I read the poem a fourth time, its meaning was still --------.

obscure

darken; make unclear At times he seemed purposely to -------- his meaning, preferring mystery to clarity.

murkiness

darkness; gloom The -------- and fog of the waterfront that evening depressed me.

reverie

daydream; musing He was awakened from his -------- by the teacher's question.

stalemate

deadlock Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a --------; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated positions.

slander

defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements Unless you can prove your allegations, your remarks constitute --------.

libelous

defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person He sued the newspaper because of its -------- story.

rampart

defensive mound on earth "From the -------- we watched" as the fighting continued.

mulct

defraud a person of something The lawyer was accused of trying to -------- the boy of his legacy.

respite

delay in punishment; interval of relief The judge granted the condemned man a -------- to enable his attorneys to file an appeal.

tarry

delay; dawdle We can't -------- if we want to get to the airport on time.

render

deliver; provide He -------- aid to the needy and indigent.

peremptory

demanding and leaving no choice From Jack's -------- knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in.

negation

denial I must accept his argument since you have been unable to present any -------- of his evidence.

nihilism

denial of traditional values; total skepticism -------- holds that existence has no meaning.

panoramic

denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can get a -------- view of New York City and neighboring stretches of New Jersey and Long Island.

turpitude

depravity A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral --------.

posterity

descendants; future generations We hope to leave a better world to --------.

lineage

descent; ancestry He traced his -------- back to Mayflower days.

sacrilegious

desecrating; profane His stealing of the altar cloth was a very -------- act.

renegade

deserter; traitor Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the hero of Dances with Wolves a --------.

reprehensible

deserving blame Your vicious conduct in this situation is --------.

venerable

deserving high respect We do not mean to be disrespectful when we refuse to follow the advice of our -------- leader.

scurvy

despicable; contemptible Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his -------- crew.

raze

destroy completely The owners intend to -------- the hotel and erect an office building on the site.

obliterate

destroy completely The tidal wave -------- several island villages.

swerve

deviate; turn aside sharply The car -------- wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.

sensual

devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal I cannot understand what caused him to drop his -------- way of life and become so ascetic.

pious

devout The -------- parents gave their children a religious upbringing.

piety

devoutness; reverence for God Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true spirit of --------.

sleight

dexterity The magician amazed the audience with his -------- of hand.

malicious

dictated by hatred or spite The -------- neighbor spread the gossip.

lexicon

dictionary I cannot find this word in any -------- in the library.

quarry

dig into They -------- blocks of marble out of the hillside.

unearth

dig up When they -------- the city, the archeologists found many relics of an ancient civilization.

quandary

dilemma When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he was in a -------- as to which one he should attend.

sedulous

diligent The young woman was so -------- that she received a commendation for her hard work.

sap

diminish; undermine Ten years of war had -------- the country's strength.

refectory

dining hall In this huge --------, we can feed the entire student body at one sitting.

protocol

diplomatic etiquette We must run this state dinner according to -------- if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.

rebate

discount We offer a -------- of ten percent to those who pay cash.

sardonic

disdainful; sarcastic The -------- humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some people as amusing and others as rude.

virus

disease communicator The doctors are looking for a specific medicine to control this --------.

unravel

disentangle; solve With equal ease Miss Marple -------- tangled balls of yarn and baffling murder mysteries.

unkempt

disheveled; with uncared-for appearance The beggar was dirty and --------.

tribulation

distress; suffering After all the trials and -------- we have gone through, we need this rest.

ramify

divide into branches or subdivisions When the plant begins to --------, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches.

stratified

divided into classes; arranged into strata As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased, Roman society grew increasingly --------.

liability

drawback; debts Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a -------- that she was able to overcome.

pensive

dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness The -------- youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed.

quaff

drink with relish As we -------- our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.

repellent

driving away; unattractive Mosquitoes find the odor so -------- that they leave any spot where this liquid has been sprayed.

propulsive

driving forward The jet plane has a greater -------- power than the engine-driven plane.

lethargic

drowsy; dull The stuffy room made her --------; she felt as if she was about to nod off.

provender

dry food; fodder I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of -------- for the cattle.

prosaic

dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative campaign to publicize the company's newest product, the head office rejected it for a more --------, down-to-earth approach.

resonant

echoing; resounding The deep, -------- voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes him particularly effective when he appears on stage.

virtue

goodness; moral excellence A -------- carried to extremes can turn into something resembling vice; humility, for example, can degenerate into servility and spinelessness.

oligarchy

government by a few The feudal -------- was supplanted by an autocracy.

theocracy

government of a community by religious leaders Some Pilgrims favored the establishment of a -------- in New England.

monarchy

government under a single hereditary ruler with varying degrees of power England today remains a --------.

vouchsafe

grant condescendingly; guarantee I can safely -------- you fair return on your investment.

voluptuous

gratifying the senses The nobility during the Renaissance led -------- lives.

magnitude

greatness; extent It is difficult to comprehend the -------- of his crime.

verdigris

green coating on copper which has been exposed to the weather Despite all attempts to protect the statue from the elements, it became coated with --------.

patina

green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting Judging by the -------- on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist.

verdant

green; lush in vegetation Monet's paintings of the -------- meadows were symphonies in green.

lament

grieve; express sorrow Even advocates of the war -------- the loss of so many lives in combat.

lechery

gross lewdness; lustfulness In his youth he led a life of -------- and debauchery; he did not mend his ways until middle age.

trilogy

group of three works Romain Rolland's novel Jean Christophe was first published as a --------.

wane

grow gradually smaller From now until December 21, the winter solstice, the hours of daylight will --------.

proliferate

grow rapidly; spread Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-rich-quick schemes to --------

pall

grow tiresome The study of word lists can eventually -------- and put one to sleep.

macabre

gruesome; grisly The city morgue is a -------- spot for the uninitiated.

tutelage

guardianship; training Under the -------- of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.

surmise

guess I -------- that he will be late for this meeting.

remorse

guilt; self-reproach The murderer felt no -------- for his crime.

recidivism

habitual return to crime Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of --------; the number of persons serving second and third terms indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.

taciturn

habitually silent; talking a little New Englanders are reputedly -------- people.

trite

hackneyed; commonplace The -------- and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers.

somnolent

half asleep The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all -------- and indifferent to the speaker.

satyr

half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus, portrayed as wanton and cunning He was like a -------- in his lustful conduct.

snicker

half-stifled laugh The boy could not suppress a -------- when the teacher sat on the tack.

tilter

handle used to move the boat's rudder (to steer) Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff, Tom kept one hand on the -------- at all times.

loiter

hang around; linger The policeman told him not to -------- in the alley.

pendant

hanging down from something Her -------- earrings glistened in the light.

noxious

harmful We must trace the source of these -------- gases before they asphyxiate us.

placebo

harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received only --------.

raucous

harsh and shrill His -------- laughter irritated me and grated on my ears.

severity

harshness; plainness The newspapers disapproved of the -------- of the sentence.

odious

hateful I find the task of punishing you most --------.

misogynist

hater of women She accused him of being a -------- because he had been a bachelor all his life.

misogamy

hatred of marriage He remained a bachelor not because of -------- but because of ill fate: his fiancee died before the wedding.

wan

having a pale or sickly color; pallid Suckling asked, "Why so pale and --------, fond lover?"

serrated

having a sawtoothed edge The beech tree is one of many plants that have -------- leaves.

plausible

having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious Even though your argument is --------, I still would like to have more proof.

tendentious

having an aim; biased The editorials in this periodical are -------- rather than truth-seeking.

malignant

having an evil influence; virulent This is a -------- disease; we must have to use drastic measures to stop its spread.

odorous

having an odor This variety of hybrid tea rose is more -------- than the one you have in your garden.

perspicacious

having insight; penetrating The brilliant lawyer was known for his -------- deductions.

multiform

having many forms Snowflakes are -------- but always hexagonal.

multilingual

having many languages Because they are bordered by so many countries, the Swiss people are --------.

versatile

having many talents; capable of working in many fields He was a -------- athlete; at college he had earned varsity letters in baseball, football, and track.

monochromatic

having only one color Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several colors; some, however, have a truly -------- view of a world all in shades of gray.

musky

having the odor of musk She left a trace of -------- perfume behind her.

rancid

having the odor of stale fat A -------- odor filled the ship's galley and nauseated the crew.

titular

having the title of an office without the obligations Although he was the -------- head of the company, the real decisions were made by his general manager.

prophetic

having to do with predicting the future In interpreting Pharaoh's -------- dream, Joseph said that the seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean cows represented seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

promontory

headland They erected a lighthouse on the -------- to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.

precipitate

headlong; rash Do not be -------- in this matter; investigate further.

salubrious

healthful Many people with hay fever move to more -------- sections of the country during the months of August and September.

pyre

heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse. The mortician put -------- on the corpse before burning a corpse.

potpourri

heterogeneous mixture; medley He offered a -------- of folk songs from many lands.

secrete

hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism. The pack rat -------- odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans.

prodigy

highly gifted child; marvel Menuhin was a --------, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.

virtuoso

highly skilled artist The child prodigy Yehudi Menuhin grew into a -------- whose virtuosity on the violin thrilled millions.

tenacious

holding fast I had to struggle to break his -------- hold on my arm.

tenure

holding of an office; time during which such an office is held He was permanent -------- in this position and cannot be fired.

retentive

holding; having a good memory The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a -------- mind.

waif

homeless child or animal Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline --------.

vagrant

homeless wanderer Because he was a stranger in town with no visible means of support, Martin feared he would be jailed as a --------.

nostalgia

homesickness; longing for the past The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little time for --------.

mortify

humiliate; punish the flesh She was so -------- by her blunder that she ran to her room in tears.

parody

humorous imitation; travesty We enjoyed the clever -------- of popular songs that the chorus sang.

scavenge

hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try -------- for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers' yards.

mesmerize

hypnotize The incessant drone seemed to -------- him and place him in a trance.

supposition

hypothesis; surmise I based my decision to confide in him on the -------- that he would be discreet.

quixotic

idealistic but impractical His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these -------- schemes.

mischance

ill luck By --------, he lost his week's salary.

morose

ill-humored; sullen When we first meet Hamlet, we find him -------- and depressed.

utopia

imaginary land with perfect social and political system Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton's Tibetan --------.

mimicry

imitation Her gift for -------- was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.

pastiche

imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing We cannot even say that her music is a -------- of this or that composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many musicians.

sophomoric

immature; shallow Your -------- remarks are a sign of your youth and indicate that you have not given much thought to the problem.

transitoriness

impermanence Conscious that all things pass, the psalmist relates the -------- of happiness and fame.

pert

impertinent; forward I think your -------- and impudent remarks call for an apology.

vehement

impetuous; with marked vigor He spoke with -------- eloquence in defense of his client.

metaphor

implied comparison "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an eagle in flight," is a --------.

levy

impose (a fine); collect (a payment) Crying "No taxation without representation," the colonists demonstrated against England's power to -------- taxes.

prestige

impression produced by achievements or reputation The wealthy man sought to obtain social -------- by contributing to popular charities.

susceptible

impressionable; easily influenced He was a very -------- young man, and so his parents worried that he might fall into bad company.

spontaneity

impulsiveness; absence of premeditation What I liked best about Dale's parties was their --------: a couple of friends would drop by, someone would pull out a fiddle or guitar, and before you knew it the party would be in full swing.

pell-mell

in confusion; disorderly The excited students dashed -------- into the stadium to celebrate the victory.

virtual

in essence; for practical purposes She is a -------- financial wizard when it comes to money matters.

vassal

in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord The lord demanded that his -------- contribute more to his military campaign.

nominal

in name only; trifling He offered to drive her to the airport for only a -------- fee.

sadistic

inclined to cruelty If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the -------- warden.

prone

inclined to; prostrate She was -------- to sudden fits of anger.

subsume

include; encompass Does the general theory of relativity contradict Newtonian physics, or is Newton's law of gravity -------- into Einstein's larger scheme?

partial

incomplete In this issue we have published only a -------- list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone.

unobtrusive

inconspicuous; not blatant The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President tried to be as -------- as possible.

wax

increase; grow With proper handling, his fortunes -------- and he became rich.

nonchalance

indifference; lack of interest Few people could understand how he could listen to the news of the tragedy with such --------; the majority regarded him as callous and unsympathetic.

mealymouthed

indirect speech; hypocritical Rather than tell Jill directly what he disliked, Jack made a few -------- comments and tried to change the subject.

opportunist

individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances Forget about ethics! He's such an -------- that he'll vote in favor of any deal that will give him a break.

proselytize

induce someone to convert to religion or belief In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to --------; we must respect all points of view.

prevail

induce; triumph over He tried to -------- on her to type his essays for him.

opprobrium

infamy; vilification He refused to defend himself against the slander and -------- hurled against him by the newspapers; he preferred to rely on his record.

wreak

inflict I am afraid he will -------- his vengeance on the innocent as well as the guilty.

mayhem

injury to the body The riot was marked not only by --------, with its attendant loss of life and limb, but also by arson and pillage.

tessellated

inlaid; mosaic I recall seeing a table with a -------- top of bits of stone and glass in a very interesting pattern.

perceptive

insightful; aware Although Maud was a generally -------- critic, she had her blind sports: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends.

paltry

insignificant; petty This is a -------- sum to pay for such a masterpiece.

puny

insignificant; tiny Our -------- efforts to stop the flood were futile.

vapid

insipid; inane She delivered an uninspired and -------- address.

slur

insult to one's character or reputation; slander olls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been damaged by the -------- and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's staff.

slight

insult to one's dignity; snub Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary --------.

willful

intentional; headstrong Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly, her death was a case of deliberate, -------- murder, not a crime of passion committed by a hasty, willful youth unable to foresee the consequences of his deeds.

symbiosis

interdependent relationship (between groups, species), often mutually beneficial Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their --------; pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile, meanwhile, derives proper dental hygiene.

meddlesome

interfering He felt his marriage was suffering because of his -------- mother-in-law.

misconstrue

interpret incorrectly; misjudge She took the passage seriously rather than humourously because she -------- the author's ironic tone.

prelude

introduction; forerunner I am afraid that this border raid is the -------- to more serious attacks.

prefatory

introductory The chairman made a few -------- remarks before he called on the first speaker.

preamble

introductory statement In the -------- to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth.

withdrawn

introverted; remote Rebuffed by his colleagues, the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly --------.

tonic

invigorating medicine The -------- water invigorated her, contrary to the enervating effect of the alcohol.

opalescent

iridescent The Ancient Mariner admired the -------- sheen on the water.

testy

irritable; short-tempered My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as he is rather -------- and may shout at you.

rankle

irritate; fester The memory of having been jilted -------- him for years.

pique

irritation; resentment She showed her -------- by her refusal to appear with the other contestants at the end of the contest.

quarantine

isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection We will have to place this house under -------- until we determine the nature of the disease.

seclusion

isolation; solitude One moment she loved crowds; the next, she sought --------.

yoke

join together, unite I don't wish to be -------- to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow.

peregrination

journey Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose -------- took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.

succulent

juicy; full of richness To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more -------- than those from California.

warrant

justify; authorize Before the judge issues the injunction, you must convince her this action is --------.

sagacious

keen; shrewd He is much too -------- to be fooled by a trick like that.

shun

keep away from Cherishing his solitude, the recluse -------- the company of other human beings.

retain

keep; employ Fighting to -------- his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained a new manager to head his reelection campaign.

trinket

knickknack; bauble Whenever she traveled abroad, Ethel would pick up costume jewelry and other -------- as souvenirs.

timidity

lack of self-confidence or courage If you are to succeed as a salesperson, you must first lose your -------- and fear of failure.

listless

lacking in spirit or energy We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his -------- attitude.

spartan

lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined Looking over the bare, unheated room with its hard cot, he wondered what he was doing in such -------- quarters. Only his spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.

peripheral

marginal; outer We lived, not in central London, but in one of those -------- suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city.

welt

mark from beating or whipping The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer's small body was covered with -------- and bruises.

uproarious

marked by commotion; extremely funny The -------- comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin, whose mugging and comic antics provoked gales of uproarious laughter from audiences coast to coast.

skinflint

miser The old -------- refused to give her a raise.

qualms

misgivings His -------- of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans.

projectile

missile Man has always hurled -------- at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells.

promiscuous

mixed indiscriminately; haphazard In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the -------- life led by the young artists of Paris.

medley

mixture The band played a -------- of Gershwin tunes.

miscellany

mixture of writings on various subjects This is an interesting -------- of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.

scoff

mock; ridicule He -------- at dentists until he had his first toothache.

satirical

mocking The humor of cartoonists Gary Trudeau often is --------; though the comments of the Doonesbury characters, Trudeau ridicules political corruption and folly.

paragon

model of perfection The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing him out as a -------- of virtue.

paradigm

model; example Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a -------- of the conditioned-response experiment in behavioral psychology.

temper

moderate; tone down or restrain Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could -------- Nancy's enthusiasm for her new job.

sobriety

moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness Neither drunkards nor comics are noted for --------.

retiring

modest; shy Given Susan's -------- personality, no one expected her to take up public speaking; surprisingly enough, she became a star of the school debate team.

lull

moment of calm Not wanting to get wet, they waited under the awning for a -------- in the rain.

transient

momentary; temporary Lexy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was --------; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob. Located near the airport, this hotel caters to the largely transient trade.

potentate

monarch; sovereign The -------- spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne.

lucre

money Preferring -------- to undying fame, he wrote stories of popular appeal.

simian

monkeylike Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many -------- characteristics, although they are less intelligent than monkeys.

mausoleum

monumental tomb His body was placed in the family --------.

low

moo From the hilltop, they could see the herd like ants in the distance; they could barely hear the cattle --------.

phobia

morbid fear Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real --------.

sacrosanct

most sacred; inviolable The brash insurance salesman invaded the -------- privacy of the office of the president of the company.

maternal

motherly Many animals display -------- instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.

stagnant

motionless; stale The -------- water was a breeding ground for disease.

mercenary

motivated solely by money or gain "I'm not in this war because I get my kicks waving flags," said the -------- soldier. "I'm in it for the dough."

lugubrious

mournful The -------- howling of the dogs added to our sadness.

plaintive

mournful The dove has a -------- and melancholy call

waft

moved gently by wind or waves Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that -------- past his window.

turbid

muddy; having the sediment disturbed The water was -------- after the children had waded through it.

propagate

multiply; spread Since bacteria -------- more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.

regicide

murder of a king or queen The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an act of --------.

mutter

murmur or grumble The child -------- at the doll.

maim

mutilate; injure The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or -------- in the railroad accident.

reciprocal

mutual; exchangeable The two nations signed a -------- trade agreement.

occult

mysterious; secret The -------- rites of the organization were revealed only to members.

runic

mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet Tolkien's use of Old English words and inscriptions in the -------- alphabet give The Lord of the Rings its atmosphere of antiquity.

parochial

narrow in outlook; provincial Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not --------.

propensity

natural inclination Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate -------- to belittle the talents of others.

myopic

nearsighted In thinking only of your present needs and ignoring the future, you are being rather --------.

spruce

neat and trim Every button buttoned, tie firmly in place, young Alex Keaton looked -------- and tidy for his job interview at the bank.

natty

neatly or smartly dressed Priding himself on being a -------- dresser, the gangster Bugsy Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties.

requisite

necessary requirement Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a language as a -------- for admission.

tautological

needlessly repetitious In the sentence "It was visible to the eye," the phrase "to the eye" is --------.

pejorative

negative in connotation; having a belittling effect. Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made -------- remarks about his character.

titter

nervous laugh Her aunt's constant -------- nearly drove her mad.

seine

net for catching fish When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen with -------- along the banks of our coastal rivers.

noncommittal

neutral; unpledged We were annoyed by his -------- reply for we had been led to expect definite assurances of his approval.

passive

not active; acted upon Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of -------- resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence and acts of terrorism.

optional

not compulsory; left to one's choice I was impressed by the range of -------- accessories for my microcomputer that were available.

rudimentary

not developed; elementary His dancing was limited to a few -------- steps.

unearthly

not earthly; weird There is an -------- atmosphere in her work that amazes the casual observer.

objective

not influenced by emotions; fair Even though he was her son, she tried to be -------- about his behavior.

temporal

not lasting forever; limited by time At one time in our history, -------- rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right.

theoretical

not practical or applied; hypothetical Bob was better at applied engineering and computer programming than he was at -------- physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan, you've convinced me of its basic soundness.

unrequited

not reciprocated Suffering the pangs of -------- love, Olivia rebukes Cesario for his hard-heartedness.

marked

noticeable; targeted for vengeance He walked with a -------- limp, a souvenir of an old IRA attack. As British ambassador, he knew he was a marked man.

nutrient

nourishing substance As a budding nutritionist, Kim has learned to design diets that contain foods rich in important basic --------.

unprecedented

novel; unparalleled Margaret Mitchell's book Gone with the Wind was an -------- success.

manifold

numerous; varied I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your -------- kindnesses.

phenomena

observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation We kept careful records of the -------- we noted in the course of these experiments.

sporadic

occurring irregularly Although there are still -------- outbursts of shooting in the streets, the rebellion is essentially over.

subjective

occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal Your analysis is highly --------; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking.

piebald

of different colors; mottled You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the only -------- horse running.

terrestrial

on or relating to the earth We have been able to explore the -------- regions much more thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial regions.

reaper

one who harvests grain Death, the Grim --------, cuts down men and women, just as a farmer cuts down the ripened grain.

polygamist

one who has more than one spouse at a time He was arrested as a -------- when his two wives filed complaints about him.

mandate

order; charge In his inaugural address, the President stated that he had a -------- from the people to seek an end to social evils such as poverty and poor housing.

provenance

origin or source of something I am not interested in its --------; I am more concerned with its usefulness than with its source.

prototype

original work used as a model by others The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the -------- of the elaborate machines in use today.

pendant

ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.) The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and -------- engraved with the school's motto.

rococo

ornate; highly decorated The -------- style in furniture and architecture, marked by scrollwork and excessive decoration, flourished during the middle of the eighteenth century.

pretentious

ostentatious; ambitious I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry out such a -------- program.

uncouth

outlandish; clumsy Most biographers portray Lincoln as an -------- and ungainly young man.

obsolete

outmoded "Hip" is an -------- expression; it went out with love beads and tie-dye shirts.

outwit

outsmart; trick By disguising himself as an old woman, Holmes was able to -------- his pursuers and escape capture.

preeminent

outstanding; superior The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the -------- surgeon in the field to perform the operation.

stereotyped

oversimplified; lacking individuality My chief objection to the book is that the characters are --------; they come across as ethnic caricatures, not as real people with individual quirks, fears, and dreams.

rave

overwhelmingly favorable review Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in the Timing was a total --------.

tract

pamphlet; a region of indefinite size The King granted William Penn a -------- of land in the New World.

larder

pantry; place where food is kept The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to check what snacks his mother had in the --------.

proscenium

part of stage in front of curtain In the theater-in-the-round there can be no -------- or proscenium arch.

madrigal

pastoral song His program of folk songs included several -------- which he sang to the accompaniment of a lute.

trajectory

path taken by a projectile The police tried to locate the spot from which the assassin had fired the fatal shot by tracing the -------- of the bullet.

quirk

peculiarity of action or behavior; caprice By a -------- of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before.

problematic

perplexing; unsettled: questionable Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains --------.

sage

person celebrated for wisdom Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to consult the legendary --------.

malcontent

person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs He was one of the few -------- in the Congress; he constantly voiced his objections to the Presidential program.

reprobate

person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the -------- you say he is.

magnate

person of prominence or influence The steel -------- decided to devote more time to city politics.

supernumerary

person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra His first appearance on the stage was as a -------- in a Shakespearean tragedy.

masochist

person who enjoys his own pain The -------- begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't."

millinery

person who makes or sells women's hats The -------- displayed fashionable hats in the street where many women passed by.

pontifical

pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his -------- pronouncements that John was destined for a high pontifical office.

provincial

pertaining to a province; limited in outlook As -------- governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada.

traumatic

pertaining to an injury caused by violence In his nightmares, he kept on recalling the -------- experience of being wounded in battle.

rustic

pertaining to country people; uncouth The backwoodsman looked out place in his -------- attire.

pathological

pertaining to disease As we study the -------- aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements.

thespian

pertaining to drama Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined for a -------- career.

seismic

pertaining to earthquakes The Richter scale is a measurement of -------- disturbances.

valedictory

pertaining to farewell I found the -------- address too long; leave-taking should be brief.

marital

pertaining to marriage After the publication of his book on -------- affairs, he was often consulted by married people on the verge of divorce.

mnemonic

pertaining to memory He used -------- tricks to master new words.

psychopathic

pertaining to mental derangement The -------- patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a diseased brain.

monetary

pertaining to money Jane held the family purse strings: she made all -------- decisions affecting the household.

vitreous

pertaining to or resembling glass Although this plastic has many -------- qualities such as transparency, it is unbreakable.

nautical

pertaining to ships or navigation The Maritime Museum contains many models of clipper ships, logbooks, anchors and many other items of a -------- nature.

metaphysical

pertaining to speculative philosophy The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the -------- poets of the seventeenth century for many of their images.

sartorial

pertaining to tailors He was as famous for the -------- splendor of his attire as he was for his acting.

metallurgical

pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores During the course of his -------- research, the scientist developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength.

lunar

pertaining to the moon -------- craters can be plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope.

physiological

pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its -------- aspects but also its psychological elements.

stellar

pertaining to the stars He was the -------- attraction of the entire performance.

sylvan

pertaining to the woods; rustic His paintings of nymphs in -------- backgrounds were criticized as oversentimental.

relevant

pertinent; referring to the case in hand Teri was impressed by how -------- Virginia Woolf's remarks were to her as a woman writer; it was as if Woolf had been writing with Teri's situation in mind.

supplicate

petition humbly; pray to grant a favor We -------- Your Majesty to grant him amnesty.

topography

physical features of a region Before the generals gave the order to attack, they ordered a complete study of the -------- of the region.

obstetrician

physician specializing in delivery of babies Unlike midwives, who care for women giving birth at home, -------- generally work in a hospital setting.

oculist

physician who specialized in treatment of the eyes In many states, an -------- is the only one who may apply medicinal drops to the eyes for the purpose of examining them.

mosaic

picture made of small, colorful inlaid tiles The mayor compared the city to a beautiful -------- made up of people of every race and religion on earth.

perforate

pierce; put a hole through Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first -------- the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.

ruthless

pitiless The escaped convict was a dangerous and -------- murderer.

unequivocal

plain; obvious My answer to your proposal is an -------- and absolute "No."

perspicuous

plainly expressed Her -------- comments eliminated all possibility of misinterpretation.

premeditate

plan in advance She had -------- the murder for months, reading about common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic.

rostrum

platform for speech-making; pulpit The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care to listen to the speaker who was approaching the --------.

scenario

plot outline; screenplay Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe when he suddenly departed from their customary -------- and began to improvise.

ravage

plunder; despoil The marauding army -------- the countryside.

predatory

plundering The hawk is a -------- bird.

perigee

point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon was launched as the moon approached its --------.

toxic

poisonous We must seek an antidote for whatever -------- substance he has eaten.

prod

poke; stir up If you -------- him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room.

verbiage

pompous array of words After we had waded through all the --------, we discovered that the writer had said very little.

vogue

popular fashion Jeans became the -------- on many college campuses.

permeable

porous; allowing passage through Glass is -------- to light.

procrastinate

postpone; delay It is wise not to --------; otherwise, we find ourselves bogged down in a mass of work that should have been finished long ago.

mogul

powerful person The oil -------- made great profits when the price of gasoline rose.

potent

powerful; persuasive The jury was swayed by the highly -------- testimony of the crime's sole eyewitness.

laudable

praiseworthy; commendable His -------- deeds will be remarked by all whom he aided.

precedent

preceding in time, rank, etc. Our discussions, -------- to this event, certainly did not give you any reason to believe that we would adopt your proposal.

nicety

precision; minute distinction I cannot distinguish between such -------- of reasoning.

prognosticate

predict I -------- disaster unless we change our wasteful ways.

presentiment

premonition; foreboding Hamlet felt a -------- about his meeting with Laertes.

materialism

preoccupation with physical comforts and things By its nature, -------- is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body, the idealist emphasizes the needs of the soul.

regimen

prescribed diet and habits I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict --------.

stymie

present an obstacle; stump The detective was -------- by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation.

overweening

presumptuous; arrogant His -------- pride in his accomplishments was not justified.

sham

pretend He -------- sickness to get out of going to school.

subterfuge

pretense; evasion As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a -------- we withdrew our endorsement of your candidacy.

mode

prevailing style She was not used to their lavish -------- of living.

paranoia

psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution Suffering from --------, he claimed everyone was out to get him; ironically, his claim was accurate; even paranoias have enemies.

tout

publicize; praise excessively I lost confidence in my broker after he -------- some junk bonds that turned out to be a bad investment.

whiff

puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint The slightest -------- of Old Spice cologne brought memories of George to her mind.

wrest

pull away; take by violence With only ten seconds left to play, our team -------- victory from their grasp.

wrench

pull; strain She -------- free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to his kneecap.

pillory

punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule Even though he was mocked and --------, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs.

punitive

punishing He asked for -------- measures against the offender.

platonic

purely spiritual; theoretical Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a -------- interest in the women involved.

quintessence

purest and highest embodiment Noel Coward displayed the -------- of wit.

obtrusive

pushing forward I found her a very -------- person, constantly seeking the center of the stage.

propound

put forth for analysis In you discussion, you have -------- several questions; let us consider each one separately.

marshal

put in order At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a minute or two to -------- their thoughts before addressing their audience.

verbalize

put into words I know you don't like to talk about these things, but please try to -------- your feelings.

septic

putrid; producing putrefaction The hospital was in such a filthy state that we were afraid that many of the patients would suffer from -------- poisoning.

rebus

puzzle in which pictures stand for words A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible -------- for the town Coventry.

timbre

quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument We identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its --------.

poignancy

quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the -------- of the scene.

naivete

quality of being unsophisticated I cannot believe that such -------- is unassumed in a person of her age and experience.

momentum

quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus The car lost -------- as it tried to ascend the steep hill.

slake

quench; sate When we reached the oasis, we were able to -------- our thirst.

nostrum

questionable medicine No quack selling -------- is going to cheat me.

receptive

quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc. Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a -------- audience for Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy.

retort

quick, sharp reply Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she was always ready with a --------.

rummage

ransack; thoroughly search When we -------- through the trunks in the attic, we found many souvenirs of our childhood days.

rant

rave; speak bombastically As we heard him -------- on the platform, we could not understand his strange popularity with many people.

voracious

ravenous The wolf is a -------- animal, its hunger never satisfied.

maniacal

raving mad His -------- laughter frightened us.

perusal

reading I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid -------- of this document.

lectern

reading desk The chaplain delivered his sermon from a hastily improvised --------.

rampant

rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained The -------- weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had been planted in the spring.

rationalize

reason; justify an improper act Do not try to -------- your behavior by blaming your companions.

ratiocination

reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a genius, whose gift for -------- made him a superb detective.

maverick

rebel; nonconformist To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a -------- who fought her proper womanly role.

recipient

receiver Although he had been the -------- of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor.

neophyte

recent convert; beginner This mountain slope contains slides that will challenge experts as well as --------.

recumbent

reclining; lying down completely or in part The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a -------- position.

reactionary

recoiling from progress; retrograde His program was -------- since it sought to abolish many of the social reforms instituted by the previous administration.

reminiscence

recollection Her -------- of her experiences are so fascinating that she ought to write a book.

recuperate

recover The doctors were worried because the patient did not -------- as rapidly as they had expected.

retrieve

recover; find and bring in The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to -------- the game killed by the hunter.

reprise

recurrent action; musical repetition At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the cumulative effect of the constant -------- that left him spent.

ruddy

reddish; healthy-looking His -------- features indicated that he had spent much time in the open.

sublimate

refine; purify We must strive to -------- these desires and emotions into worthwhile activities.

meditation

reflection; thought She reached her decision only after much --------.

rebuttal

refutation; response with contrary evidence The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case, sure that she could answer his arguments in her --------.

limbo

region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and --------.

rueful

regretful; sorrowful The artist has captured the sadness of childhood in his portrait of the boy with the -------- countenance.

spurn

reject; scorn The heroine -------- the villain's advances.

nuptial

related to marriage Their -------- ceremony was performed in Golden Gate Park.

monastic

related to monks Wanting to live a religious life, he took his -------- vows.

narrative

related to telling a story A born teller of tales, Olsen used her impressive -------- skills to advantage in her story "I Stand Here Ironing."

spatial

relating to space It is difficult to visualize the -------- extent of our universe.

sidereal

relating to the stars Although hampered by optical and mechanical flaws, the orbiting Hubble space telescope has relayed extraordinary images of distant -------- bodies.

remnant

remainder I suggest that you wait until the store places the -------- of these goods on sale.

residue

remainder; balance In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and funeral expenses, the -------- be given to his wife.

redress

remedy; compensation Do you mean to tell me that I can get no -------- for my injuries?

solder

repair or make whole by using a metal alloy The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by -------- a couple of joints from which water had been oozing.

remediable

reparable Let us be grateful that the damage is --------.

restitution

reparation; indemnification He offered to make -------- for the window broken by his son.

reimburse

repay Let me know what you have spent and I will -------- you.

reciprocate

repay in kind If they attack us, we shall be compelled to -------- and bomb their territory.

retaliate

repay in kind (usually for bad treatment) Fear that we will -------- immediately deters our foe from attacking us.

requite

repay; revenge The wretch -------- his benefactors by betraying them.

reiterate

repeat He -------- the warning to make sure everyone understood it.

replicate

reproduce; duplicate To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to -------- the results of their controversial experiment.

reprimand

reprove severely I am afraid that my parents will -------- me when I show them my report card.

solicit

request earnestly; seek Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to pass, the mayor telephoned all the members of the city council to -------- their votes.

sedentary

requiring sitting Because he had a -------- occupation, he decided to visit a gymnasium weekly.

salvage

rescue from loss All attempts to -------- the wrecked ship failed.

umbrage

resentment; anger She took -------- at his remarks and stormed away in a huff.

slag

residue from smelting metal; dross The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless --------.

sedition

resistance to authority; insubordination His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated to arouse thoughts of --------.

sonorous

resonant His -------- voice resounded through the hall.

recourse

resorting to help when in trouble The boy's only -------- was to appeal to his father for aid.

reputable

respectable If you want to buy antiques, look for a -------- dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as genuine antiques.

reverent

respectful His -------- attitude was appropriate in a house of worship.

paraphrase

restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author In 250 words or less, -------- this article.

restive

restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-behaved children grow -------- and start to fidget.

renovate

restore to good condition; renew They claim that they can -------- worn shoes so that they look like new ones.

rehabilitate

restore to proper condition We must -------- those whom we send to prison.

pinion

restrain They -------- his arms against his body but left his legs free so that he could move about.

repress

restrain; crush Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without -------- her boundless high spirits.

manacle

restrain; handcuff The police immediately -------- the prisoner so he could not escape.

temperate

restrained; self-controlled Noted for his -------- appetite, he seldom gained weight.

reprisal

retaliation I am confident that we are ready for any -------- the enemy may undertake.

sequester

retire from public life; segregate Although he had hoped for a long time to -------- himself in a small community, he never was able to drop his busy round of activities in the city.

superannuated

retired or disqualified because of age The -------- man was indignant because he felt that he could still perform a good day's work.

rejoinder

retort; comeback When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly satisfying to come up with a quick --------.

repeal

revoke; annul What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug use by -------- the laws against the possession and sale of narcotics?

ramshackle

rickety; falling apart The boys propped up the -------- clubhouse with a couple of boards.

lampoon

ridicule This article -------- the pretensions of some movie moguls.

title

right or claim to possession; mark of rank Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held -------- to the family estate, he still retained his title as head of one of England's oldest families.

whorl

ring of leaves around stem; ring Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape and number of -------- on the fingers.

tundra

rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable mineral deposits in the --------.

leeway

room to move; margin When you set a deadline, allow a little --------.

roseate

rosy; optimistic I am afraid you will have to alter your -------- views in the light of the distressing news that has just arrived.

rotundity

roundness; sonorousness of speech Washington Irving emphasized the -------- of the governor by describing his height and circumference.

regal

royal Prince Albert had a -------- manner.

surly

rude; cross Because of his -------- attitude, many people avoided his company.

snivel

run at the nose; snuffle Don't you come -------- to me complaining about your big brother.

seedy

run-down; decrepit I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel than have a room of my own in a -------- downtown hotel.

pastoral

rural In these stories of -------- life, we find an understanding of the daily tasks of country folk.

torrent

rushing stream; flood Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water ran downhill in --------.

monotony

sameness leading to boredom He took a clerical job, but soon grew to hate the -------- of his daily routine.

uniformity

sameness; consistency After a while, the -------- of TV situation comedies becomes boring.

surfeit

satiate; stuff Every Thanksgiving we are -------- with an overabundance of holiday treats.

sate

satisfy to the full; cloy Its hunger --------, the lion dozed.

relish

savor; enjoy I -------- a good joke as much as anyone else.

meager

scanty; inadequate His salary was far too -------- for him to afford to buy a new car.

savant

scholar Our faculty includes many world famous --------.

pedant

scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a -------- rather than a scholar.

ornithologist

scientific student of birds Auduborn's drawings of American bird life have been of interest not only to the -------- but also to the general public.

rail

scold; rant You may -------- at him all you want; you will never change him.

upbraid

scold; reproach I must -------- him for his unruly behavior.

shrew

scolding woman No one wanted to marry Shakespeare's Kate because she was a --------.

sarcasm

scornful remarks, stinging rebuke His feelings were hurt by the -------- of his supposed friends.

silt

sediment deposited by running water The harbor channel must be dredged annually to remove the --------.

sophistry

seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his audience with a flood of --------.

specious

seemingly reasonable but incorrect Let us not be misled by such -------- arguments.

usurp

seize power; supplant The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader -------- the throne.

reserve

self-control; formal but distant manner Although some girls were attracted by Mark's --------, Judy was put off by it, for she felt his aloofness indicated a lack of openness.

truism

self-evident truth Many a -------- is well expressed in a proverb.

postulate

self-evident truth We must accept these statements as -------- before pursuing our discussions any further.

pomposity

self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt Although the commencement speaker had some good things to say, we had to laugh at his -------- and general air of parading his own dignity.

penance

self-imposed punishment for sin The Ancient Mariner said, "I have -------- done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing the albatross.

vendor

seller The fruit -------- sold her wares from a stall on the sidewalk.

sunder

separate; part Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously --------.

solemnity

seriousness; gravity The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the -------- of the marriage service.

sycophant

servile flatterer The king enjoyed the servile compliments and attentions of the -------- in his retinue.

mediate

settle a dispute through the services of an outsider Let us -------- out differences rather than engage in a costly strike.

subside

settle down; descend The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually --------.

mutable

changing in form; fickle His opinion were -------- and easily influenced by anyone who had any powers of persuasion.

migrant

changing its habitat; wandering These -------- birds return every spring.

sear

char or burn; brand Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she -------- her hand badly.

temperament

characteristic frame of mind; disposition Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly in --------: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable.

pristine

characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled This area has been preserved in all its -------- wildness.

universal

characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere At first, no one shared Christopher's opinions; his theory that the world was round was met with -------- disdain.

mountebank

charlatan; boastful pretender The patent medicine man was a --------.

talisman

charm She wore the -------- to ward off evil.

tawdry

cheap and gaudy He won a few -------- trinkets in Coney Island.

swindler

cheat She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for the first -------- who came along.

stanch

check flow of blood It is imperative that we -------- the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries.

stem

check the flow The paramedic used a tourniquet to -------- the bleeding from the slashed artery.

sanguine

cheerful; hopeful Let us not be too -------- about the outcome; something could go wrong.

masticate

chew We must -------- our food carefully and slowly in order to avoid digestive disorders.

ruminate

chew the cud; ponder We cannot afford to wait while you -------- upon these plans.

puerile

childish His -------- pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.

prelate

church dignitary The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking -------- visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.

rotunda

circular building or hall covered with a dome His body lay in state in the -------- of the Capitol.

vociferous

clamorous; noisy The crowd grew -------- in its anger and threatened to take the law into its own hands.

talon

claw of bird The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to avoid being clawed by the hawk's --------.

purge

clean by removing impurities; clear of changes If you are to be -------- of the charge of contempt of Congress, you must be willing to answer the questions previously asked.

limpid

clear A -------- stream ran through his property.

vindicate

clear of charges I hope to -------- my client and return him to society as a free man.

perspicuity

clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity One of the outstanding features of this book is the -------- of its author; her meaning is always clear.

repartee

clever reply He was famous for his witty -------- and his sarcasm.

shrewd

clever; astute A -------- investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market.

scale

climb up; ascend To locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to -------- an exceptionally rickety ladder.

raiment

clothing "How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no -------- fit to wear."

saccharine

cloyingly sweet She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a -------- smile.

lout

clumsy person The delivery boy is an awkward --------.

maladroit

clumsy; bungling In his usual -------- way, he managed to upset the cart and spill the food.

spectrum

colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism The visible portion of the -------- includes red at one end and violet at the other.

malapropism

comic misuse of a word When Mrs. Malaprop criticizes Lydia for being "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she confuses "allegory" and "allegator" in a typical --------.

travesty

comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a -------- of justice.

lateral

coming from the side In order to get good plant growth, the gardener must pinch off all -------- shoots.

ordain

command; arrange The king -------- that no foreigner should be allowed to enter the city.

memorialize

commemorate Let us -------- his great contribution by dedicating this library in his honor.

perpetrate

commit an offense Only an insane person could -------- such a horrible crime.

plebeian

common; pertaining to the common people His speeches were aimed at the -------- minds and emotions; they disgusted the more refined.

simile

comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as "My love is like a red, red rose" is a --------.

remunerative

compensating; rewarding I find my new work so -------- that I may not return to my previous employment.

lexicographer

compiler of a dictionary The new dictionary is the work of many -------- who spent years compiling and editing the work.

unanimity

complete agreement We were surprised by the -------- with which our proposals were accepted by the different groups.

sedate

composed; grave The parents were worried because they felt their son was too quiet and --------.

mercantile

concerning trade I am more interested in the opportunities available in the -------- field than I am in those in the legal profession.

transcend

exceed; surpass This accomplishment -------- all our previous efforts.

superfluous

excessive; overabundant, unnecessary Please try not to include so many -------- details in your report; just give me the bare facts.

meticulous

excessively careful He was -------- in checking his accounts and never made mistakes.

uxorious

excessively devoted to one's wife His friends laughed at him because he was so -------- and submissive to his wife's desires.

obese

excessively fat It is advisable that -------- people try to lose weight.

tightwad

excessively frugal person; miser Jill called Jack a -------- because he never picked up the check.

rapacious

excessively grasping; plundering Hawks and other -------- birds prey on variety of small animals.

prude

excessively modest or proper person The X-rated film was definitely not for --------.

ornate

excessively or elaborately decorated Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its -------- carvings.

ostracize

exclude from public favor; ban As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection with the criminals, his friends began to -------- him.

subsistence

existence; means of support In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided mere --------.

primordial

existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary The Neanderthal Man is one of our -------- ancestors.

politic

expedient; prudent Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it -------- to refuse the offer.

oust

expel; drive out The world wondered if Aquino would be able to -------- Marcos from office.

sustain

experience; support He -------- such a severe injury that the doctors feared he would be unable to work to sustain his growing family.

seasoned

experienced Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball coach wished she had a few more -------- players on the team.

legend

explanatory list of symbols on a map The -------- at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols stood for rest areas along the highway and which stood for public camp sites.

probe

explore with tools The surgeon -------- the wound for foreign matter before suturing it.

traduce

expose to slander His opponents tried to -------- the candidate's reputation by spreading rumors about his past.

vent

express; utter He -------- his wrath on his class.

potential

expressing possibility; latent The juvenile delinquent is a -------- murderer.

laudatory

expressing praise The critics' -------- comments helped to make her a star.

prolong

extend; draw out In their determination to discover ways to -------- human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.

tirade

extended scolding; denunciation Long before he had finished his --------, we were sufficiently aware of the seriousness of our misconduct.

opulence

extreme wealth; luxuriousness The glitter and -------- of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath away.

overwrought

extremely agitated; hysterical When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too -------- to work and had to leave the office early.

parched

extremely dry; very thirsty The -------- desert landscape seemed hostile to life.

prohibitive

extremely high (of prices etc.) The super computer's price was --------.

ravenous

extremely hungry The -------- dog upset several garbage pails in its search for food.

stentorian

extremely loud The town crier had -------- voice.

virulent

extremely poisonous The virus is highly -------- and has made many of us ill for days.

practicable

feasible The board of directors decided that the plan was -------- and agreed to undertake the project.

lineaments

features, especially of the face She quickly sketched the -------- of his face.

melee

fight The captain tried to ascertain the cause of the -------- that had broken out among the crew members.

replenish

fill up again Before she could take another backpacking trip, Carla had to -------- her stock of freeze-dried foods.

replete

filled to capacity; abundantly supplied The book is -------- with humorous situations.

sordid

filthy; base The social worker was angered by the -------- housing provided for the homeless.

purchase

firm grasp or footing The mountaineer struggled to get a proper -------- on the slippery rock.

tenacity

firmness; persistency It is extremely difficult to overcome the -------- of a habit such as smoking.

tantrum

fit of petulance; caprice The child learned that he could have almost anything if he went into --------.

paroxysm

fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage When he heard of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a -------- of rage.

spasmodic

fitful; periodic The -------- coughing in the auditorium annoyed the performers.

propriety

fitness; correct conduct I want you to behave at this dinner with --------; don't embarrass me.

moodiness

fits of depression or gloom We could not discover the cause of her recurrent --------.

rig

fix or manipulate The ward boss was able to -------- the election by bribing people to stuff the ballot boxes with ballots marked in his candidate's favor.

obsession

fixed idea; continued brooding This -------- with the supernatural has made him unpopular with his neighbors.

pliant

flexible; easily influenced Catherine's disposition was --------; she was like putty in her suitor's hands.

supple

flexible; pliant The angler found a -------- limb and used it as a fishing rod.

lithe

flexible; supple Her figure was -------- and willowy.

pliable

flexible; yielding In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, -------- copper tubing.

sleazy

flimsy; unsubstantial This is a -------- fabric; it will not wear well.

levitate

float in the air (especially by magical means) As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of his assistant, she appeared to rise and -------- about three feet above the table.

parquet

floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic-like pattern. In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in an elegant --------.

mellifluous

flowing smoothly; smooth Italian is a -------- language.

retinue

following; attendants The queen's -------- followed her down the aisle.

subsequent

following; later In -------- lessons, we shall take up more difficult problems.

victuals

food I am very happy to be able to provide you with these --------; I know you are hungry.

viand

food There was a variety of -------- at the feast.

witless

foolish; idiotic Such -------- and fatuous statements will create the impression that you are an ignorant individual.

prognosis

forecasted course of a disease; prediction If the doctor's -------- is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.

paramount

foremost in importance; supreme Proper nutrition and hygiene are of -------- importance in adolescent development and growth.

precursor

forerunner Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics consider them -------- of the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics.

vanguard

forerunners; advance forces We are the -------- of a tremendous army that is following us.

presage

foretell The vultures flying overhead -------- the discovery of the corpse in the desert.

portend

foretell; presage The king did not know what these omens might -------- and asked his soothsayers to interpret them.

oracular

foretelling; mysterious Oedipus could not understand the -------- warning he received.

premonition

forewarning We ignored these -------- of disaster because they appeared to be based on childish fears.

oblivion

forgetfulness Her work had fallen into a state of --------; no one bothered to read them.

venial

forgivable; trivial We may regard a hungry man's stealing as a -------- crime.

polity

form of government of nation or state Our -------- should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens.

satire

form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter -------- attacking human folly.

panegyric

formal praise The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering -------- about his valorous act.

predecessor

former occupant of a post I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late -------- in this office.

redoubtable

formidable; causing fear During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be -------- foes.

shard

fragment, generally of pottery The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earthenware vessels from the -------- he had brought back from the expedition.

rubble

fragments Ten years after World War II, some of the -------- left by enemy bombings could still be seen.

redolent

fragrant; odorous Even though it is February, the air is -------- of spring.

latitude

freedom from narrow limitations I think you have permitted your son too much -------- in this matter.

scruple

fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not -------- to read his diary.

repine

fret; complain There is no sense -------- over the work you have left undone.

querulous

fretful; whining His classmates were repelled by his -------- and complaining statements.

purveyor

furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer As -------- of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.

nugatory

futile; worthless This agreement is -------- for no court will enforce it.

lope

gallop slowly As the horses -------- along, we had an opportunity to admire the ever-changing scenery.

magnanimity

generosity Noted for his --------, philanthropist Eugene Lang donated millions to charity.

largess

generous gift Lady Bountiful distributed -------- to the poor.

zephyr

gentle breeze; west wind When these -------- blow, it is good to be in an open boat under a full sail.

unfeigned

genuine; real She turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was --------.

seminal

germinal; influencing future developments Although Freud has generally been regarded as a -------- thinker who shaped the course of psychology, his psychoanalytic methods have come under attack recently.

orient

get one's bearings; adjust Philip spent his first day in Denver -------- himself to the city.

spectral

ghostly We were frightened by the -------- glow that filled the room.

titanic

gigantic -------- waves beat against the shore during the hurricane.

mammoth

gigantic The -------- corporations of the twentieth century are a mixed blessing

relent

give in When her stern father would not -------- and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with her suitor.

yield

give in; surrender The wounded knight refused to -------- to his foe.

waive

give up temporarily; yield I will -------- my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision.

morbid

given to unwholesome thought; gloomy These -------- speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our spirits by emphasizing more pleasant matters.

odoriferous

giving off an odor The -------- spices stimulated her jaded appetite.

ogle

glance coquettishly at; make eyes at Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would -------- the young girls and recall his youthful romances.

shimmer

glimmer intermittently The moonlight -------- on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment.

saturnine

gloomy Do not be misled by his -------- countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.

somber

gloomy; depressing From the doctor's grim expression, I could tell he had -------- news.

retrograde

go backwards; degenerate Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have -------- in ethics and culture.

traverse

go through or across When you -------- this field, be careful of the bull.

objective

goal; aim A degree in medicine was her ultimate --------.

transition

going from one state of action to another During the period of -------- from oil heat to gas heat, the furnace will have to be shut off.

prosperity

good fortune; financial success Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in -------- and hardship alike.

sluggard

lazy person "You are a --------, a drone, a parasite," the angry father shouted at his lazy son.

livid

lead-colored; black and blue His face was so -------- with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.

pundit

learned Hindu; any learned person Even though he discourses on the matter like a --------, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic.

lien

legal claim on a property There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late uncle's home; apparently, another claimant had a -------- upon the estate.

moratorium

legal delay of payment If we declare a -------- and delay collection of debts for six months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills.

usury

lending money at illegal rates of interest The loan shark was found guilty of --------.

osseous

made of bone; bony The hollow "soft spot" found at the top of the infant's skull gradually closes as new -------- tissue fills in the gap.

mutilate

maim The torturer threatened to -------- his victim.

preclude

make impossible; eliminate This contract does not -------- my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you.

stupefy

make numb; stun Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might -------- her.

preen

make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction As Kitty -------- before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself on her good looks.

obviate

make unnecessary; get rid of I hope this contribution will -------- any need for further collections of funds.

testator

maker of a will The attorney called in his secretary and his partner to witness the signature of the --------.

yeoman

man owing small estate; middle-class farmer It was not the aristocrat but the -------- who determined the nation's policies.

repulsion

act of driving back; distaste The -------- of the enemy forces was not accomplished bloodlessly; many of the defenders were wounded in driving the enemy back.

riveting

absorbing; engrossing The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a -------- tale: absorbed in the story, he had finished it in a single evening.

refrain

abstain from; resist n. chorus Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never -------- from joining in on the refrain.

preposterous

absurd; ridiculous When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a -------- excuse!"

plenitude

abundance; completeness Looking in the pantry, we admired the -------- of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer.

rife

abundant; current In the face of the many rumors of scandal, which are -------- at the moment, it is best to remain silent.

prolific

abundantly fruitful She was a -------- writer who produced as many as three books a year.

vituperative

abusive; scolding He became more -------- as he realized that we were not going to grant him his wish.

mishap

accident With a little care you could have avoided this --------.

spoonerism

accidental transposition of sounds in successive words When the radio announcer introduced the President as Hoobert Herver, he was guilty of --------.

wean

accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity He decided he would -------- himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables.

pittance

a small allowance or wage He could not live on the -------- he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue.

minion

a servile dependent He was always accompanied by several of his -------- because he enjoyed their subservience and flattery.

vivisection

act of dissecting living animals The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposed -------- and deplored the practice of using animals in scientific experiments.

relinquish

abandon I will -------- my claims to this property if you promise to retain my employees.

renounce

abandon; disown Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a witch, Joan of Arc refused to -------- her belief that her voices came from God.

plasticity

ability to be molded When clay dries out, it loses its -------- and becomes less malleable.

prescience

ability to foretell the future Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take -------- for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations with Japan.

prattle

babble The children -------- endlessly about their new toys.

thwart

baffle; frustrate He felt that everyone was trying to -------- his plans and prevent his success.

rusticate

banish to the country; dwell in the country I like city life so much that I can never understand how people can -------- in the suburbs.

quizzical

bantering; comical Will Rogers' -------- remarks endeared him to his audiences.

practical

based on experience; useful He was a -------- man, opposed to theory

seethe

be disturbed; boil The nation was -------- with discontent as the nobleman continued their arrogant ways.

swelter

be oppressed by heat I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I do not intend to -------- through another hot and humid summer.

transpire

be revealed; happen When Austen writes the sentence "It had just -------- that he had left gaming debts behind him," her meaning is not that the debts had just been incurred, but the the shocking news had just leaked out.

stint

be thrifty; set limits "Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to -------- on the wedding arrangements.

nib

beak; pen point The -------- of fountain pens often become clotted and corroded.

ursine

bearlike; pertaining to a bear Because of its -------- appearance, the great panda has been identified with the bears; actually, it is closely related to the raccoon.

pummel

beat The severity with which he was -------- was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face.

lambaste

beat; thrash verbally or physically It was painful to watch the champion -------- his opponent, tearing into him mercilessly.

pulchritude

beauty; comeliness I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female --------.

metamorphosis

change of form The -------- of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life.

vicissitude

change of fortune Humbled by life's --------, the last emperor of China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over which he had once ruled.

ossify

change or harden into bone When he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had -------- and that he was not capable of clear thinking.

transmute

change; convert to something different He was unable to -------- his dreams into actualities.

volatile

changeable; explosive The political climate today is extremely --------: no one can predict what the electorate will do next.

wheedle

cajole; coax She knows she can -------- almost anything she wants from her father.

phlegmatic

calm; not easily disturbed The nurse was a cheerful but -------- person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies.

sedative

calming drug or influence It is dangerous to drive after taking the --------; it brings drowsiness.

reparable

capable of being repaired Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were -------- and our car looks brand new.

malleable

capable of being shaped by pounding Gold is a -------- metal.

tensile

capable of being stretched Mountain climbers must know the -------- strength of their ropes.

thrifty

careful about money; economical A -------- shopper compares prices before making major purchases.

lax

careless We dislike restaurants where the service is -------- and inattentive.

negligence

carelessness -------- can prove costly near complicated machinery.

scabbard

case for a sword blade; sheath The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the --------.

quiver

case for arrows Robin Hood reached back and plucked one last arrow from his --------.

slough

cast off Each spring, the snake -------- off its skin.

offhand

casual; done without prior thought Expecting to be treated with due propriety by her costs, Great-Aunt Maud was offended by their -------- manner.

pander

cater to the low desires of others The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of -------- to the masses' taste of violence.

stultify

cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate or hinder His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb and incurious, as if the menial labor had -------- his mind.

supersede

cause to be set aside; replace This regulation will -------- all previous rules.

nauseate

cause to become sick; fill with disgust The foul smells began to -------- him.

leaven

cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven As bread dough is --------, it puffs up, expanding in volume.

pathetic

causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished his -------- tale about the orphaned boy.

prudent

cautious; careful A miser hoards money not because he is -------- but because he is greedy.

luminary

celebrity; dignitary A leading light of the American stage, Ethel Barrymore was a theatrical -------- whose name lives on.

reprove

censure; rebuke The principal -------- the students when they became unruly in the auditorium.

pivotal

central; critical De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was --------; without Mandela's release, there was no possibility that the African National Congress would entertain talks with the South African government.

mace

ceremonial staff; clublike medieval weapon The Grand Marshal of the parade raised his -------- to signal that it was time for the procession to begin.

ordination

ceremony conferring holy orders The candidate for -------- had to meet with the bishop and the diocesan officers before being judged ready to be ordained a deacon.

shackle

chain; fetter The criminal's ankles were -------- to prevent his escape.

veer

change in direction After what seemed an eternity, the wind -------- to the east and the storm abated.

maudlin

effusively sentimental I do not like such -------- pictures. I call them tearjerkers.

ovoid

egg-shaped At Easter she had to cut out hundreds of brightly colored -------- shapes.

vacuous

empty; lacking in ideas The candidate's -------- remarks annoyed the audience, who had hoped to hear more than empty platitudes

prodigious

enormous; marvelous He marveled at her -------- appetite when he saw all the food she ate.

mire

entangle; stick in swampy ground Their rear wheels became -------- in mud.

regale

entertain John -------- us with tales of his adventures in Africa.

verve

enthusiasm; liveliness She approached her studies with such -------- that it was impossible for her to do poorly.

ovation

enthusiastic applause When Placido Domingo came on stage in the first act of La Boheme, he was greeted by a tremendous --------.

misapprehension

error; misunderstanding To avoid --------, I am going to ask all of you to repeat the instructions I have given.

substantive

essential; pertaining to the substance Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the problem, they could not agree on the -------- issues.

precise

exact If you don't give me -------- directions and a map, I'll never find your place.

sublime

exalted; noble Mother Teresa has been honored for her -------- deeds.

scrutinize

examine closely and critically Searching for flaws, the sergeant -------- every detail of the private's uniform.

surpass

exceed Her SAT scores -------- out expectations.

peon

landless agricultural worker; bond servant The land reformers sought to liberate the -------- and establish them as independent farmers.

parlance

language; idiom All this legal -------- confuses me; I need an interpreter.

lassitude

languor; weariness The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of -------- and encouraged drowsiness.

metropolis

large city Every evening this terminal is filled with the thousands of commuters who are going from this -------- to their homes in the suburbs.

tome

large volume He spent much time in the libraries poring over ancient --------.

salacious

lascivious; lustful Chaucer's monk is not pious but --------, a teller of lewd tales and ribald jests.

scourge

lash; whip They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly --------.

languor

lassitude; depression His friends tried to overcome the -------- into which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to the theater.

ultimatum

last demand; warning Since they have ignored our --------, our only recourse is to declare war.

terminus

last stop of railroad After we reached the railroad --------, we continued our journey into the wilderness on saddle horses.

ludicrous

laughable; trifling Let us be serious; this is not a -------- issue.

stratum

layer of earth's surface; layer of society Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest -------- of our society, we may expect grumbling and revolt.

sloth

laziness Such -------- in a young person is deplorable; go to work!

prerogative

privilege; unquestionable right The President cannot levy taxes; that is the -------- of the legislative branch of government.

visionary

produced by imagination; fanciful She was given to -------- schemes that never materialized.

lucrative

profitable He turned his hobby into a -------- profession.

wastrel

profligate He was denounced as a -------- who had dissipated his inheritance.

protract

prolong Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to -------- the negotiations endlessly, but the union representatives saw through their strategy.

seemly

proper; appropriate Lady Bracknell did not think it was -------- for Ernest to lack a proper family; no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to marry her daughter.

sibylline

prophetic; oracular Until their destruction by fire in 83 B.C., the -------- books were often consulted by the Romans.

thrive

prosper; flourish Despite the impact of recession on the restaurant trade, Philip's cafe --------.

tutelary

protective; pertaining to a guardianship I am acting in my -------- capacity when I refuse to grant you permission to leave the campus.

remonstrance

protest; objection The authorities were deaf to the pastor's -------- about the lack of police protection in the area.

protuberance

protrusion; bulge A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a --------.

maxim

proverb; a truth pithily stated Aesop's fables illustrate moral --------.

skimp

provide scantily; live very economically They were forced to -------- on necessities in order to make their limited supplies last the winter.

synoptic

providing a general overview; summary The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts for a -------- account of what was new in the field.

tentative

provisional; experimental Your -------- plans sound plausible; let me know when the final details are worked out.

taut

tight; ready The captain maintained that he ran a -------- ship.

list

tilt; lean over That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead, it -------- to one side.

yore

time past He dreamed of the elegant homes of --------, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing.

opportune

timely; well chosen You have come at an -------- moment for I need a new secretary.

rhapsodize

to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and -------- about it for weeks.

unfrock

to strip a priest or minister of church authority To disbar a lawyer, to -------- a priest, to suspend a doctor's license to practice--these are extreme steps that the authorities should take only after careful consideration.

memento

token; reminder Take this book as a -------- of your visit.

sepulcher

tomb Annabel Lee was buried in a -------- by the sea.

vise

tool for holding work in place Before filling its edges, the keysmith took the blank key and fixed it firmly between the jaws of a --------.

pestle

tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug with his --------, young George could tell that his employer was agitated about something.

petulant

touchy; peevish The feverish patient was -------- and restless.

vestige

trace; remains We discovered -------- of early Indian life in the cave.

tremor

trembling; slight quiver She had a nervous -------- in her right hand.

tremulous

trembling; wavering She was -------- more from excitement than from fear.

ruse

trick; stratagem You will not be able to fool your friends with such an obvious --------.