Term
| ABATE: to reduce in amount degree, or severity |
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Definition
| As the hurricane's force ______, the winds dropped and the sea became calm. |
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Term
| ABSCOND: to leave secretly |
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Definition
| The patron _________ from the restaurant w/out paying his bill by sneaking out the back door. |
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Term
| ABSTAIN: to choose not to do something |
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Definition
| She ________ from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray. |
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Term
| ABYSS: an extremely deep hole |
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Definition
| The submarine dove into the ______ to chart the previously unseen depths. |
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Term
| ADULTERATE: to make impure |
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Definition
| The chef made his ketchup last longer by _______ it with water. |
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Term
| ADVOCATE: to speak in favor of |
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Definition
| The vegetarian ________ a diet containing no meat. |
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Term
| AESTHETIC: concerning the appreciation of beauty |
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Definition
| Followers of the _______ Movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art. |
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Term
| AGGRANDIZE: to increase in power, influence, and reputation |
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Definition
| The superior sought to _________ herself by claiming that the achievement of her staff were actually her own. |
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Term
| ALLEVIATE: to make more bearable |
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Definition
| Taking aspirin helps to _______ a headache. |
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Term
| AMALGAMATE: to combine; to mix together |
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Definition
| Giant industries _________ w/ Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Inc. |
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Term
| AMBIGUOUS: doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways |
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Definition
| The directions she gave were so ________ that we disagreed on which way to turn. |
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Term
| AMELIORATE: to make better; to improve |
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Definition
| The doctor was able to ________ the patient's suffering using painkillers. |
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Term
| ANACHRONISM: something out of place in time |
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Definition
| The aged hippie used ________ic phrases like "groovy and far out" that had not been popular for years. |
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Term
| ANALOGOUS: similar or alike in some way; equivalent |
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Definition
| In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is _______ to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker". |
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Term
| ANOMALY: deviation from what is normal |
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Definition
| Albino animals may display too great an _______ on their coloring to attract normally colored mates. |
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Term
| ANTAGONIZE: to annoy or provoke to anger |
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Definition
| The child discovered the he could ________ the cat by pulling its tail. |
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Term
| ANTIPATHY: extreme dislike |
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Definition
| The ________ b/w the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare. |
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Term
| APATHY: lack of interest or emotion |
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Definition
| The ________ of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so. |
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Term
| ARBITRATE: to judge a dispute b/w 2 opposing parties |
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Definition
| Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to ________ their divorce proceedings. |
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Term
| ARCHAIC: ancient, old-fashioned |
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Definition
| Her _______ Commodore computer could not run the latest software. |
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Term
| ARDOR: intense & passionate feeling |
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Definition
| Bishop's ______ for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley. |
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Term
| ARTICULATE: able to speak clearly & expressively |
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Definition
| She is such an _________ defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters. |
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Term
| ASSUAGE: to make something unpleasant less severe |
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Definition
| Serena used aspirin to ________ her pounding headache. |
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Term
| ATTENUATE: to reduce in force or degree; to weaken |
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Definition
| The Bill of Rights _________ the traditional power of gov't to change laws @ will. |
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Term
| AUDACIOUS: fearless & daring |
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Definition
| Her _________ nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving. |
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Term
| AUSTERE: severe or stern in appearance; undecorated |
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Definition
| The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem ______ to the civilian eye. |
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Term
| BANAL: predictable, cliched, boring |
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Definition
| He used _______ phrases like "have a nice day", or "another day, another dollar". |
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Term
| BOLSTER: to support; to prop up |
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Definition
| The presence of giant footprints ________ the argument that Sasquatch was in the area. |
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Term
| BOMBASTIC: in speech and manner |
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Definition
| The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly _______; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact. |
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Term
| CACOPHONY: harsh, jarring noise |
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Definition
| The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable _________ as they tried to tune their instruments. |
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Term
| CANDID: impartial & honest in speech |
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Definition
| The observations of a child can be charming since they are _______ and unpretentious,. |
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Term
| CAPRICIOUS: changing one's mind quickly and often |
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Definition
| Queen Elizabeth I was quite ________; her courtiers could never be sure which of their # would catch her fancy. |
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Term
| CASTIGATE: to punish or criticize harshly |
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Definition
| Many Americans are amazed @ how harshly the authorities in Singapore _________ perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the U.S. |
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Term
| CATALYST: something that brings about a change in something else |
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Definition
| The imposition of harsh taxes was the ________ that finally brought on the revolution. |
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Term
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Definition
| Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for ________ wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults. |
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Term
| CHAOS: great disorder or confusion |
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Definition
| In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from _______. |
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Term
| CHAUVINIST: someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he/she belongs |
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Definition
| The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male __________. |
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Term
| CHICANERY: deception by means of craft or guile |
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Definition
| Dishonest used car sales ppl often use ________ to sell their beat-up old cars. |
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Term
| COGENT: convincing & well reasoned |
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Definition
| Swayed by the _______ argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant. |
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Term
| CONDONE: to overlook, pardon, or disregard |
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Definition
| Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as ________ing an air of lawlessness. |
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Term
| CONVOLUTED: intricate & complicated |
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Definition
| Although many ppl bought "A Brief History of Time", few could follow its _________ ideas and theories. |
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Term
| CORROBORATE: to provide supporting evidence |
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Definition
| Fingerprints _________ed the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment. |
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Term
| CREDULOUS: too trusting, gullible |
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Definition
| Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter bunny, only the most __________ nine-year-olds also believe in him. |
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Term
| CRESCENDO: steadily increasing volume or force |
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Definition
| The _________ of tension became unbearable as Evil Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses. |
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Term
| DECORUM: appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety |
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Definition
| The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the _________ appropriate for a visit to the palace. |
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Term
| DEFERENCE: respect, courtesy |
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Definition
| The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice w/ the utmost ________. |
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Term
| DERIDE: to speak or treat w/ contempt; to mock |
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Definition
| The awkward child was often ________ by his "cooler" peers. |
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Term
| DESICCATE: to dry out thoroughly |
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Definition
| After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely ________ed. |
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Term
| DESULTORY: jumping from one thing to another; disconnected |
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Definition
| Diane had a _________ academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years. |
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Term
| DIATRIBE: an abusive, condemnatory speech |
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Definition
| The trucker bellowed a _________ at the driver who had cut him off. |
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Term
| DIFFIDENT: lacking self-confidence |
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Definition
| Steve's ________ manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of exp in the field. |
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Term
| DILATE: to make larger; to expand |
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Definition
| When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes ______ to let in more light. |
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Term
| DILATORY: intended to delay |
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Definition
| The congressman used ________ measures to delay the passage of the bill. |
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Term
| DILETTANTE: someone w/ amateurish & superficial interest in a topic |
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Definition
| Jerry's friends were such ________ that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week. |
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Term
| DIRGE: a funeral hymn or mournful speech |
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Definition
| Melville wrote the poem " A _____ for James McPherson" for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864. |
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Term
| DISABUSE: to set right; to free from error |
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Definition
| Galileo's observations ________ scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth. |
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Term
| DISCERN: to perceive; to recognize |
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Definition
| It is easy to ______ the difference b/w butter & butter-flavored topping. |
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Term
| DISPARATE: fundamentally different; entirely unlike |
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Definition
| Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are ________. |
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Term
| DISSEMBLE: to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character |
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Definition
| The villain could _________ to the police no longer-he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man. |
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Term
| DISSONANCE: a harsh & disagreeable combination, often of sounds |
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Definition
| Cognitive ________ is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence. |
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Term
| DOGMA: a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief |
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Definition
| Linus's central _______ was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded. |
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Term
| DOGMATIC: dictatorial in one's opinions |
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Definition
| The dictator was _________ -he, and only he, was right. |
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Term
| DUPE: to deceive; a person who is easily deceived |
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Definition
| Bugs Bunny was able to ____ Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit. |
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Term
| ECLECTIC: selecting from or made up from a variety of sources |
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Definition
| Budapest's architecture is an _______ mix of Eastern and Western styles. |
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Term
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Definition
| The _______ of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered. |
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Term
| ELEGY: a sorrowful poem or speech |
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Definition
| Although Thomas Gray's "_______ Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality. |
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Term
| ELOQUENT: persuasive and moving, esp. in speech |
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Definition
| The Gettysburg Address is moving not only b/c of its lofty sentiments but also b/c of its _______ words. |
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Term
| EMULATE: to copy; to try to equal or excel |
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Definition
| The graduate student sought to ________ his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class. |
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Term
| ENERVATE: to reduce in strength |
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Definition
| The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ________ the regular army. |
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Term
| ENGENDER: to produce, cause, or bring about |
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Definition
| His fear & hatred of clowns was _________ when he witnessed the death of his father @ the hands of a clown. |
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Term
| ENIGMA: a puzzle, a mystery |
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Definition
| Speaking in riddles & dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an _______. |
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Term
| ENUMERATE: to count, list, or itemize |
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Definition
| Moses returned from the mountain w/ tablets on which the commandments were _________. |
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Term
| EPHEMERAL: lasting a short time |
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Definition
| The lives of mayflies seem _______ to us, since the flies' avg life span is a matter of hours. |
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Term
| EQUIVOCATE: to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead |
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Definition
| When faced w/ criticism of her policies, the politician ________ed and left all parties thinking she agreed w/ them. |
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Term
| ERRATIC: wandering & unpredictable |
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Definition
| The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of _______ turns that surprised the audience. |
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Term
| ERUDITE: learned, scholarly, bookish |
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Definition
| The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most _______, well-published individuals in the field. |
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Term
| ESOTERIC: known or understood by only a few |
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Definition
| Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the _______ world of particle physics. |
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Term
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Definition
| Most ppl consider it _________ that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India. |
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Term
| EULOGY: speech in praise of someone |
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Definition
| His best friend gave the _______, outlining his many achievements and talents. |
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Term
| EUPHEMISM: use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one |
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Definition
| The funeral director preferred to use the ________ "sleeping" instead of the word dead. |
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Term
| EXACERBATE: to make worse |
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Definition
| It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only ________ the problem. |
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Term
| EXCULPATE: to clear from blame; prove innocent |
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Definition
| The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to _________ those who are innocent. |
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Term
| EXIGENT: urgent; requiring immediate action |
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Definition
| The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was _______ to stop the source of the bleeding. |
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Term
| EXONERATE: to clear of blame |
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Definition
| The fugitive was _______ when another criminal confessed to committing the crime. |
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Term
| EXPLICIT: clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression |
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Definition
| The owners of the house left a list of _______ instructions detailing their house-sitter's duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants. |
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Term
| FANATICAL: acting excessively enthusiastic; filled w/ extreme, unquestioned devotion |
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Definition
| The stormtroopers were _______ in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him. |
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Term
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Definition
| The understudy ______ed over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis. |
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Term
| FERVID: intensely emotional; feverish |
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Definition
| The fans of Maria Callas were unusually _______, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer. |
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Term
| FLORID: excessively decorated or embellished |
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Definition
| The palace had been decorated in a ______ style; every surface had been carved and gilded. |
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Term
| FOMENT: to arouse or incite |
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Definition
| The protesters tried to ______ feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations. |
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Term
| FRUGALITY: a tendency to be thrifty or cheap |
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Definition
| Scrooge McDuck's ________ was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse w/ money. |
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Term
| GARRULOUS: tending to talk a lot |
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Definition
| The _________ parakeet distracted its owner w/ its continuous talking. |
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Term
| GREGARIOUS: outgoing, sociable |
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Definition
| She was so ________ that when she found herself alone, she felt quite sad. |
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Term
| GUILE: deceit or trickery |
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Definition
| Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to _____ in an effort to trap his enemy. |
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Term
| GULLIBLE: easily deceived |
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Definition
| The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool _______ bank customers into giving him their account info. |
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Term
| HOMOGENOUS: of a similar kind |
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Definition
| The class was fairly _________, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors. |
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Term
| ICONOCLAST: one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions |
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Definition
| His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ____________. |
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Term
| IMPERTURBABLE: not capable of being disturbed |
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Definition
| The counselor had so much exp dealing w/ distraught children that she seemed ________, even when faced w/ the wildest tantrums. |
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Term
| IMPERVIOUS: impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected |
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Definition
| A good raincoat will be ________ to moisture. |
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Term
| IMPETUOUS: quick to act w/out thinking |
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Definition
| It is not good for an investment broker to be ________, since much thought should be given to all the possible options. |
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Term
| IMPLACABLE: unable to be calmed down or made peaceful |
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Definition
| His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained _________ for weeks. |
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Term
| INCHOATE: not fully formed; disorganized |
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Definition
| The ideas expressed in Nietzche's mature work also appear in an _________ form in his earliest writing. |
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Term
| INGENUOUS: showing innocence or childlike simplicity |
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Definition
| She was so ________ that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city. |
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Term
| INIMICAL: hostile; unfriendly |
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Definition
| Even though the children had grown up together, they were ________ to each other @ school. |
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Term
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Definition
| Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are ___________ and pose no danger to humans. |
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Term
| INSIPID: lacking interest or flavor |
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Definition
| The critic claimed that the painting was _______, containing no interesting qualities at all. |
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Term
| INTRANSIGENT: uncompromising;l refusing to be reconciled |
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Definition
| The professor was _________ on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in @ the same time. |
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Term
| INUNDATE: to overwhelm; to cover w/ water |
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Definition
| The tidal wave _________ Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water. |
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Term
| IRASCIBLE: easily made angry |
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Definition
| Attila the Hun's __________ and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives. |
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Term
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Definition
| She was a _________ poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible,. |
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Term
| LAMENT: to express sorrow; to grieve |
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Definition
| The children continued to ________ the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise. |
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Term
| LAUD: to give praise; to glorify |
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Definition
| Parades and fireworks were staged to ____ the success of the rebels. |
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Term
| LAVISH: to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.) |
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Definition
| She ______ed the puppy w/ so many treats that is soon became overweight and spoiled. |
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Term
| LETHARGIC: acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner |
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Definition
| The clerk was so _________ that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him. |
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Term
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Definition
| She was naturally ________, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking. |
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Term
| LUCID: clear & easily understood |
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Definition
| The explanations were written in a simple and _____ manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned. |
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Term
| LUMINOUS: bright, brilliant, glowing |
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Definition
| The park was bathed in _______ sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors. |
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Term
| MALINGER: to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill |
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Definition
| A common way to avoid the draft was by ______ing- pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the Army. |
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Term
| MALLEABLE: capable of being shaped |
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Definition
| Gold is the most ________ of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape. |
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Term
| METAPHOR: a figure of speech comparing 2 different things; a symbol |
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Definition
| The _________ "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their # to the vastness of the sea. |
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Term
| METICULOUS: extremely careful about details |
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Definition
| To find all the clues @ the crime scene, the investigators ___________ly examined every inch of the area. |
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Term
| MISANTHROPE: a person who dislikes others |
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Definition
| The character Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" is such a __________ that even the sight of children singing makes him angry. |
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Term
| MITIGATE: to soften; to lessen |
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Definition
| A judge may ________ a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need. |
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Term
| MOLLIFY: to calm or make less sever |
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Definition
| Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would ______ them. |
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Term
| MONOTONY: lack of variation |
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Definition
| The _________ of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy. |
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Term
| NAIVE: lacking sophistication or exp |
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Definition
| Having never traveled b4, the elementary school students were more _______ than their high school counterparts on the field trip. |
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Term
| OBDURATE: hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion |
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Definition
| The president was completely _______ on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind. |
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Term
| OBSEQUIOUS: overly submissive & eager to please |
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Definition
| The _________ new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree w/ him on every issue. |
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Term
| OBSTINATE: stubborn, unyielding |
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Definition
| The _______ child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked. |
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Term
| OBVIATE: to prevent; to make unnecessary |
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Definition
| The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which _______ the need for a bridge. |
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Term
| OCCLUDE: to stop up; to prevent the passage of |
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Definition
| A shadow is thrown across the earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is _______ by the moon. |
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Term
| ONEROUS: troublesome & oppressive; burdensome |
|
Definition
| The assignment was so extensive & difficult to manage that it proved _______ to the team in charge of it. |
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Term
| OPAQUE: impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light |
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Definition
| The heavy buildup of dirt & grime on the windows almost made them _______. |
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Term
| OPPROBRIUM: public disgrace |
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Definition
| After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter _______. |
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Term
| OSTENTATION: excessive showiness |
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Definition
| The _______ of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace @ Versailles. |
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Term
| PARADOX: a contradiction or dilemma |
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Definition
| It is a _______ that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it. |
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Term
| PARAGON: model of excellence or perfection |
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Definition
| She is the _______ of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just. |
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Term
| PEDANT: someone who shows off learning |
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Definition
| The graduate instructor's tedious & excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a _______. |
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Term
| PERFIDIOUS: willing to betray one's trust |
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Definition
| The actress's _______ companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist. |
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Term
| PERFUNCTORY: done in a routine way; indifferent |
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Definition
| The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a _______ smile. |
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Term
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Definition
| This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to _______ stains and dissolve them in minutes! |
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Term
| PHILANTHROPY: charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness |
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Definition
| New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the _______ of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum. |
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Term
| PLACATE: to soothe or pacify |
|
Definition
| The burglar tried to _______ the snarling dog by saying "Nice doggy", and offering it a treat. |
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Term
| PLASTIC: able to be molded, altered, or bent |
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Definition
| The new material was very _______ and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a _______ of excuses. |
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Term
| PRAGMATIC: practical as opposed to idealistic |
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Definition
| While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, _______ gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them. |
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Term
| PRECIPITATE: to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation |
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Definition
| Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only 2 months, friends and family members expected such a _______ marriage to end in divorce. |
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Term
| PREVARICATE: to lie or deviate from the truth |
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Definition
| Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee _______ed and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving @ work on time. |
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Term
| PRISTINE: fresh and clean; uncorrupted |
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Definition
| Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still _______ when researchers arrived. |
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Term
| PRODIGAL: lavish, wasteful |
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Definition
| The _______ son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure. |
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Term
| PROLIFERATE: to increase in # quickly |
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Definition
| Although she only kept 2 guinea pigs initially, they _______ed to such an extent that she soon had dozens. |
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Term
| PROPITIATE: to conciliate; to appease |
|
Definition
| The management _______ the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members. |
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Term
| PROPRIETY: correct behavior; obedience to rules & customs |
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Definition
| The aristocracy maintained a high level of _______, adhering to even the most minor social rules. |
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Term
| PRUDENCE: wisdom, caution, or restraint |
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Definition
| The college student exhibited _______ by obtaining practical exp along w/ her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume. |
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Term
| PUNGENT: sharp and irritating to the senses |
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Definition
| The smoke from the burning tires was extremely _______. |
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Term
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Definition
| Many animals are _______ over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy. |
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Term
| RAREFY: to make thinner or sparser |
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Definition
| Since the atmosphere _______ as altitudes increase, the air @ the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe. |
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Term
| REPUDIATE: to reject the validity of |
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Definition
| The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was _______ when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them. |
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Term
| RETICENT: silent, reserved |
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Definition
| Physically small and _______ in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting. |
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Term
| RHETORIC: effective writing or speaking |
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Definition
| Lincoln's talent for _______ was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address. |
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Term
| SATIATE: to satisfy fully or overindulge |
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Definition
| His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could _______ it. |
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Term
| SOPORIFIC: causing sleep or lethargy |
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Definition
| The movie proved to be so _______ that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater. |
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Term
| SPECIOUS: deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious |
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Definition
| The student's _______ excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home. |
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Term
| STIGMA: a mark of shame or discredit |
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Definition
| In "The Scarlet Letter", Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public _______ for her adultery. |
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Term
| STOLID: unemotional; lacking sensitivity |
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Definition
| The prisoner appeared _______ and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence. |
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Term
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Definition
| The music was so _______ that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place. |
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Term
| TACIT: done w/out using words |
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Definition
| Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a _______ agreement had been made about which course of action to take. |
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Term
| TACITURN: silent, not talkative |
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Definition
| The clerk's _______ nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob". |
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Term
| TIRADE: long, harsh speech or verbal attack |
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Definition
| Observers were shocked @ the manager's _______ over such a minor mistake. |
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Term
| TORPOR: extreme mental & physical sluggishness |
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Definition
| After surgery, the patient experienced _______ until the anesthesia wore off. |
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Term
| TRANSITORY: temporary, lasting a brief time |
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Definition
| The reporter lived a _______ life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story. |
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Term
| VACILLATE: to sway physically; to be indecisive |
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Definition
| The customer held up the line as he _______ed b/w ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream. |
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Term
| VENERATE: to respect deeply |
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Definition
| In a traditional Confucian society, the young _______ their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom & exp. |
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Term
| VERACITY: filled w/ truth and accuracy |
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Definition
| She had a reputation for _______, so everyone trusted her description of events. |
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Term
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Definition
| The professor's answer was so _______ that his student forgot that the original question had been. |
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Term
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Definition
| The old man who loved his peace and quiet was ___ed by his neighbor's loud music. |
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Term
| VOLATILE: easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive |
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Definition
| His _______ personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything. |
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Term
| WAVER: to fluctuate b/w choices |
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Definition
| If you _______ too long b4 making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your 1st choice. |
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Term
| WHIMSICAL: acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable |
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Definition
| The ballet was _______, delighting the children w/ its imaginative characters & unpredictable sets. |
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Term
| ZEAL: passion, excitement |
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Definition
| She brought her typical ___ to the project, sparkling enthusiasm in the other team members. |
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