and carry on.

Take a moment to honestly

put yourself in that situation. Seriously,
do it.

Perhaps a time when someone broke

your heart?

Maybe when you got fired from your

job?

Whatever it is, think about it and let it

marinade. No, I am not a sadist. This is
an experiment.

What emotions did you feel? More

Forging Meaning, Building Identity, & importantly, what did you do in
Allowing Yourself to Feel response to those feelings? What
“We are like the little branch that quivers did that experience do for you
during a storm, doubting our strength constructively?
and forgetting we are the tree — deeply
rooted to withstand all life’s upheavals.”
- Andrew Solomon These are important questions to ask
yourself when your emotions are neutral
Note: This post was influenced by the because it allows you to address these
wonderful TED Talk by Andrew situations with logic. When faced with a
Solomon difficult circumstance do you give
yourself time to let your emotions sit in
and actually feel, or do you do what you
can to push them aside and distract
yourself by thinking about anything else
that will cause you to feel anything but
that?

Imagine that you have the power to take

yourself to an experience you’ve had If you veer toward the latter part of that
before. Where would you go? question — like most people do — you are
Your first kiss? stunting your growth.

Maybe the time you got your first

acceptance letter to college? We’re conditioned to avoid sadness,
suffering and pain.
Or, how about the time you jumped out Yet, those feelings afford us the only true
of an airplane and lived to tell about it? currencies that allow us to really live.
Without those experiences, we are
deprived of the necessary tools to forge
Feel good? Awesome. Now, I want you to meaning in life and ultimately build an
put yourself in a time that sucked and identity. And it is through the
made you feel really really shitty. Don’t actions of forging meaning and
just read that sentence matter-of-factly building your identity from
sadness, suffering and pain that Horrific trauma or loss is not “meant to be,”
provide you the ability to help it is not your “destiny”. I admit that life
others do the same and experience decided to screw with me in the past, it was
real, unmanufactured joy. sometimes comforting to think that there is
some ulterior power at work, that there must
be a bigger picture reason for this. It is
Don’t try to simply maximize pleasure scarier, but a lot more empowering, to
and eliminate pain. That does not lead to realise that there is no universe planning
the perfect happy existence. On the your fate. There are the choices you make,
contrary, it masks your reality with a veil and there are things that happen to you, and
of numbing feelings that close you off there is how you choose to respond to those
from authentic experiences and prevent things. A lot of life’s circumstances are
you from becoming who you are truly chance, not choice – the family, gender,
meant to be. socio-economic class, race, sexual
orientation, environment you are born into,
how you are raised, what school you go to,
things other people choose to target you for.
You don’t find meaning in happiness. What we do have control over is our
You forge meaning through pain. response, the choices we make in the
aftermath, the meaning we take and make
So the next time you experience from it. We can give ourselves our own
something really shitty, don’t starve reasons, our own answers.
yourself of an opportunity. Take some
time to acknowledge, accept and I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few
embrace the pain. years thinking about how to dredge the
meaning out of more difficult life
experiences. I used to think that there was a
Then ask yourself, how can you forge “right way” to handle horrendous life
meaning and build identity? experiences – to take some learning from it,
In your darkest days you might have heard to look deep inside myself for the
chirpy platitudes like “everything happens problem, and thought if I just waited long
for a reason!” and “what’s meant for you enough I’d trip over the meaning of it some
won’t pass you!” and “it was meant to be!” day and it would all fall into place, but the
and so on from a well meaning pal. You passivity and lack of control, leaving things
probably see them on social media against a up to ‘fate’ bothered me, re-victimised me,
background of flowers or a sunset or and disempowered me. I ended up rejecting
something. Do you ever feel like stabbing this concept entirely and focusing on the
your laptop or phone when you see them? I present and how I can use the experience,
do. An unreasonably aggressive reaction dig up my own meaning for it, and use it to
maybe, but they annoy me like nothing else. go forward with.
These expressions are usually said by
someone not in the situation, to the person Instead of asking the question: “What
who is in the shit of the situation, and have does it mean?” I asked: “What does it
much more to do with the sayer’s desire to mean for me?”
feel comfortable or like they are helping, or Exploring this idea led me to an author and
their need to ‘fix’ and make it all be speaker called Andrew Solomon. He has
okay, than the receiver’s experience of given TED talks about things like
being in the shit. And they can irk and miss depression, bullying and being gay. One of
the point in the face of utterly pointless his talks is called ‘how the worst moments
tragedies, when it’s just shit luck, or where in our lives make us who we are’ (video
there’s no mistake to learn from, there’s just below) and I recommend it to anyone who
pure pointless broken-ness and the has ever had to grin and bear a friend
subsequent hard work of healing.
chirping “everything happens for a reason!” resisting fleeing from it – that’s why you
after a devastation. need to be courageous.

We talk about finding meaning, or looking It’s taking what happened, transforming it
for meaning, as though it exists outside of and bringing the transformation into
ourselves, and outside of the event, but relationship with others, society, the world.
Andrew asks us what about “forging” the
meaning? We can create meaning for a The beauty of it is that these traumatic
pointless traumatic experience. experiences can help us be better, more
empathic people, more compassionate, more
We are not becoming what happens to us, resilient, wanting a better world, and
no, and that is the fear, but we are becoming working towards making it. I firmly believe
how we interpret and respond to what that we cherish what we’ve gone to battle
happens to us. for far more than what’s been handed to us.
It’s hard to go through this battle and it
Andrew says “we seek our identities in the means being vulnerable a lot of the time as
wake of painful experiences. When we forge you go through the process, but it’s worth it
meaning, we build identity.” We look for and it’s important for a deeper, fuller life. It
who we are when something awful happens, gives our lives a deep urgent meaning and it
we look into ourselves. By forging meaning, gives the utterly pointless experiences the
we are not finding fault within, or self- meaning that you decided on. You’re in
blaming, but we are deciding for ourselves charge of this, of all of it.
what we will make this mean, and we are by
default building our identity. If you banish the dragons, then you banish
the heroes. We can be the heroes of our own
We can forge the meaning, mould it into stories.
being a positive contribution to our lives, so
that we can look back and think I wouldn’t 1. zenith
be me, if it wasn’t for that experience. I’m a
better person becauseof that experience, not the point above the observer directly
despite it. Our darkest moment becomes our opposite the nadir
most valuable, because it’sthe experience
that contributed the most in a positive way 2. zealot
to who we are.

It takes courage to build our own meaning a fervent and even militant proponent of
and find a way to bring all of ourselves to something
what happened to us. It isn’t a ‘reframe’ or
anything close to turning a negative into a 3. yearn
positive, it’s turning a
positive through something traumatic. It is desire strongly or persistently
deciding the conditions for how this thing is
now going to be in your life. It’s telling it 4. yawner
how it’s going to go. And it’s not saying it’s
okay that it happened; as Andrew says, a person who yawns
“forging meaning and building identity does
not make what was wrong right, it only 5. xenophobia
makes what was wrong precious” and “we
can forge meaning and build identity, and
still be mad as hell.” a fear of foreigners or strangers

It isn’t easy to liberate yourself from an 6. x-axis

oppressive experience at the same time as
 the horizontal axis in a plane coordinate noisy and lacking in restraint or
system discipline

7. wonky 19. quixotic

turned or twisted toward one side not sensible about practical matters

8. wanton 20. quell

a lewd or lascivious person suppress or crush completely

9. vermillion 21. pique

of a vivid red to reddish-orange color a sudden outburst of anger

10. vague 22. paradigm

lacking clarity or distinctness a standard or typical example

11. unique 23. oxymoron

the single one of its kind conjoined contradictory terms

12. uncanny 24. optimistically

surpassing the ordinary or normal with optimism; in an optimistic manner

13. tenacious 25. nostalgic

stubbornly unyielding unhappy about being away and longing

for familiar things
14. tangible
26. narrative
perceptible by the senses especially the
sense of touch an account that tells the particulars of an
act or event
15. serene
27. misanthrope
not agitated
someone who dislikes people in general
16. saquinavir
28. melancholy
a weak protease inhibitor used in
treating HIV a constitutional tendency to be gloomy
and depressed
17. rhetorical
29. lucid
relating to using language effectively
transparently clear; easily
18. rambunctious understandable
30. lethargic 41. fortitude

deficient in alertness or activity strength of mind that enables one to

endure adversity
31. ken
42. fervent
range of what one can know or
understand characterized by intense emotion

32. karma 43. esoteric

the effects of a person's actions that understandable only by an enlightened

determine his destiny inner circle

33. jurisdiction 44. empathy

the territory within which power can be understanding and entering into
exercised another's feelings

34. jejune 45. dubious

lacking interest or significance or impact fraught with uncertainty or doubt

35. irony 46. disposition

incongruity between what might be your usual mood

expected and what occurs
47. cynical
36. integrity
believing the worst of human nature and
an undivided or unbroken completeness motives
with nothing wanting
48. capricious
37. hypnosis
determined by chance or impulse rather
a state that resembles sleep induced by than by necessity
suggestion
49. bypass
38. hyperbole
avoid something unpleasant or laborious
extravagant exaggeration
50. benevolent
39. guise
showing or motivated by sympathy and
an artful or simulated semblance understanding

40. gallivant 51. ambiguous

wander aimlessly in search of pleasure having more than one possible meaning
52. alliteration “Lipstick, as a product intended for topical
use with limited absorption, is ingested
use of the same consonant at the only in very small quantities,” the
beginning of each word agency said on its website.

1. consider 7. concern

deem to be something that interests you because it

is important
At the moment, artemisinin-based therapies
are considered the best treatment, but The scandal broke out in October after
cost about $10 per dose - far too much former chief executive Michael
for impoverished communities.Seattle Woodford claimed he was fired for
Times (Feb 16, 2012) raising concerns about the company's
accounting practices.
2. minute
8. commit
infinitely or immeasurably small
perform an act, usually with a negative
The minute stain on the document was not connotation
visible to the naked eye.
In an unprecedented front page article in
3. accord 2003 The Times reported that Mr. Blair,
a young reporter on its staff,
concurrence of opinion had committed journalistic fraud.New
York Times (Feb 15, 2012)
The committee worked in accord on the 9. issue
bill, and it eventually passed.

4. evident some situation or event that is thought

about
clearly revealed to the mind or the
senses or judgment As a result, the privacy issues surrounding
mobile computing are becoming ever-
more complex.
That confidence was certainly evident in
the way Smith handled the winning play 10. approach
with 14 seconds left on the clock.
move towards
5. practice
Spain’s jobless rate for people ages 16 to
a customary way of operation or
behavior 24 is approaching 50 percent.New
York Times (Feb 15, 2012)
He directed and acted in plays every 11. establish
season and became known for exploring
Elizabethan theatre practices.
set up or found
6. intend
A small French colony, Port Louis,
have in mind as a purpose was established on East Falkland in
 1764 and handed to the Spanish three 17. policy
years later.
a plan of action adopted by an individual
12. utter or social group

without qualification Inflation has lagged behind the central

bank’s 2 percent target,
No one can blame an honest mechanic for givingpolicy makers extra scope to cut
holding a wealthy snob rates.
in uttercontempt.Ingersoll, Robert
Green 18. straight

13. conduct successive, without a break

direct the course of; manage or control After three straight losing seasons,
Hoosiers fans were just hoping for a
Scientists have been conducting studies of winning record.Seattle Times (Feb 15,
individual genes for years. 2012)

14. engage 19. stock

consume all of one's attention or time capital raised by a corporation through

the issue of shares
We had nearly two hundred passengers,
who were seated about on the sofas, In other words, Apple’s stock is cheap, and
reading, or playing games, you should buy it.Forbes (Feb 16, 2012)
or engaged in conversation.Field, Henry
M. (Henry Martyn) 20. apparent

15. obtain clearly revealed to the mind or the

senses or judgment
come into possession of
But the elderly creak is beginning to
He delayed making the unclassified report become apparent in McCartney’s voice.
public while awaiting an Army review,
but Rolling Stone 21. property
magazine obtained the report and
posted it Friday night.New York a basic or essential attribute shared by
Times (Feb 11, 2012) members of a class

16. scarce Owing to these magic properties, it was

often planted near dwellings to keep
deficient in quantity or number away evil spirits.Parsons, Mary
compared with the demand Elizabeth

Meanwhile, heating oil could grow 22. fancy

more scarce in the Northeast this
winter, the Energy Department warned imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind
last month.New York Times (Jan 21,
2012)
For a time, indeed, he had fancied that 28. instance
things were changed.Weyman, Stanley
J. an occurrence of something

23. concept In many instances large districts or towns

would have fewer representatives than
an abstract or general idea inferred from smaller ones, or perhaps none at
specific instances all.Clarke, Helen Archibald

As a psychologist, I have always found 29. coast

the concept of speed dating
fascinating.Scientific American (Feb 13, the shore of a sea or ocean
2012)
Martello towers must be built within short
24. court distances all round the coast.Wingfield,
Lewis
an assembly to conduct judicial
business 30. project

When Brown pleaded not guilty to a planned undertaking

assaulting Rihanna, their violent past
came out in court.Slate (Feb 16, 2012) The funds are aimed at helping build
public projects including mass transit,
25. appoint electricity networks, water utility and
ports, it said.
assign a duty, responsibility or obligation
to 31. commission

In 1863 he was appointed by the general a special group delegated to consider

assembly professor of oriental some matter
languages at New College.Various
The developers are now seeking approval
26. passage from the landmarkscommission.New
York Times (Feb 16, 2012)
a section of text, particularly a section of
medium length 32. constant

His interpretation of many obscure a quantity that does not vary

scriptural passages by means of native
manners and customs and traditions is In 1929, Hubble independently put forward
particularly helpful and and confirmed the same idea, and the
informing.Sheets, Emily Churchill parameter later became known as the
Thompson Hubble constant.Nature (Nov 15, 2011)
27. vain 33. circumstances
unproductive of success one's overall condition in life
An attempt was made to ignore this brilliant The circumstances leading up to the
and irregular book, but invain; it was shootings was not immediately
read all over Europe.Various available.
34. constitute To get traditional women’s accessories
to appeal to men, some designers are
to compose or represent giving them manly names and
styles.New York Times (Feb 19, 2012)
Oil and natural gas constituted almost 50
percent of Russian government revenue 40. generate
last year.
bring into existence
35. level
Qualities such as these are
a relative position or degree of value in not generated under bad working
a graded group practices of any sort.Hungerford,
Edward
Only last month did the men’s and women’s
unemployment rates reach the 41. theory
same level.New York Times (Feb 19,
2012) a well-substantiated explanation of
some aspect of the world
36. affect
Testing that theory begins Saturday night,
have an influence upon as the Capitals take on Tampa Bay in
another important contest.Washington
The central bank will start distributing low- Post (Feb 18, 2012)
interest loans in early March to
individuals and small- and medium- 42. range
sized companies affected by the
flooding. a variety of different things or activities

37. institute Like American community colleges,

admission at an open university is not
set up or lay the groundwork for competitive, but the schools offer
a range of programs, including doctoral
Corporations have to be more and more degrees.
focused on instituting higher labor
standards.Washington Post (Feb 7, 43. campaign
2012)
a race between candidates for elective
38. render office

give an interpretation of At the same point in 2004 — as an

incumbent facing re-election — Mr.
But authorities had rendered the weapon Bush had taken in about $145.6 million
and the explosive device inoperable, for his campaign.New York Times (Feb
officials said.Chicago Tribune (Feb 17, 18, 2012)
2012)
44. league
39. appeal
an association of sports teams that
be attractive to organizes matches
"When I broke into the big leagues until a 50. contract
month ago, Gary kept in touch," Mets
third baseman David Wright said.Seattle a binding agreement that is enforceable
Times (Feb 17, 2012) by law

45. labor Contracts with utilities will be signed

starting next month, he said.
any piece of work that is undertaken or
attempted 51. earnest

More labor is entailed, more time is characterized by a firm, humorless belief

required, greater delay is occasioned in in one's opinions
cleaning up, and the amount of water
used is much greater.Hoskin, Arthur J. Too much praise cannot be given to
the earnest and efficient missionaries
46. confer who founded and have maintained this
mission.Miller, George A.
have a meeting in order to talk
something over 52. yield

Ms. Stewart said Mrs. give or supply

Bachmann conferred with her family
and a few aides after her disappointing It is a very important honey plant, as
showing on Tuesday evening.New York it yields an exceptionally pure nectar
Times (Jan 4, 2012) and remains in bloom a long
time.Parsons, Mary Elizabeth
47. grant
53. wander
allow to have
move or cause to move in a sinuous or
He had been granted entry into the White circular course
House only for the daily briefing, later
that afternoon.New York Times (Feb 17, While each animal wandered through the
2012) maze, its brain was working
furiously.New York Times (Feb 16,
48. dwell 2012)

think moodily or anxiously about 54. insist

something
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to
But it is hardly necessary to dwell on so budge
normal an event.Vinogradoff, Paul
Interior Department officials insisted that
49. entertain they had conducted an extensive
scientific inquiry before moving ahead
provide amusement for with the spill response plan.New York
Times (Feb 17, 2012)
The first Super Bowl in 1967 featured
college marching bandsentertaining the 55. knight
crowds at halftime.
 a person of noble birth trained to arms 61. financial
and chivalry
involving fiscal matters
The knight was gallant not only in war, but
in love also.Crothers, Samuel McChord Meanwhile, universities have raised tuition
every year, putting many students in
56. convince a financial bind.New York Times (Feb
20, 2012)
make realize the truth or validity of
something 62. reflect

But though he listened he was show an image of

not convinced.Reade, Charles
Teens ranting over chores and whatnot can
57. inspire often reflect deeper feelings of
alienation or perceived uncaring on the
serve as the inciting cause of part of parents.

His surprising performance inspired an 63. novel

outpouring of fan adoration that has
been dubbed "Linsanity."Chicago an extended fictional work in prose
Tribune (Feb 19, 2012)
Before Robert Barr publishes a novel he
58. convention spends years in thinking the thing
out.Anonymous
a large formal assembly
64. furnish
Last year, the industry’s main
trade convention, the Inside Self- provide with objects or articles that
Storage World Expo, organized make a room usable
workshops in Las Vegas focusing on
lien laws and auction sales.New York Instead, according to court documents, the
Times (Feb 17, 2012) money went
toward furnishingmansions, flying in
59. skill private jets, and retaining a $120,000-a-
year personal
an ability that has been acquired by hairstylist.BusinessWeek (Feb 1, 2012)
training
65. compel
He says many new drivers are terrified of
motorway driving because they do not force somebody to do something
have the skills or confidence needed.
But the flames grew too
60. harry large, compelling firefighters to call off
the rescue.New York Times (Feb 18,
annoy continually or chronically 2012)

There’s something uplifting about hearing a 66. venture

string instrument when I’m feeling
ragged or harried.New York Times (Feb proceed somewhere despite the risk of
9, 2012) possible dangers
Clearly he would not venture to descend more than half of the votes in an
while his enemy moved.Strang, Herbert election

67. territory Republicans need just four seats in the

Senate to take control as
the geographical area under the themajority party.
jurisdiction of a state
73. assert
On Friday, West Africa regional group
Ecowas condemned the rebels, urging declare or affirm solemnly and formally
them to end hostilities and surrender all as true
occupied territory.
In your talk you asserted the pill's risks of
68. temper blood clotting, lung artery blockage,
heart attack and stroke are minimal.
a characteristic state of feeling
74. crew
Oscar Wilde, to do him justice, bore this
sort of rebuff with astonishing the men and women who man a vehicle
goodtemper and
sweetness.Anonymous Several pilots and crew members would
have to escape at once, while safety
69. bent divers watched, ready to rescue anyone
who became stuck.New York
fixed in your purpose Times (Feb 6, 2012)

The business-oriented constituency of the 75. chamber

Republican Party, Jacobs said, has
been weakened by a faction bent on a natural or artificial enclosed space
lowering taxes and cutting spending.
"Today," said the old man, "you must push
70. intimate through with me into my most
solitary chamber, that we may not be
marked by close acquaintance, disturbed."Carlyle, Thomas
association, or familiarity
76. humble
The female spider can choose when to cut
off intimate relations by eating her marked by meekness or modesty; not
partner, or kicking him out.Scientific arrogant or prideful
American (Jan 31, 2012)
“Challenging yourself, playing up against
71. undertake stronger, tougher, and overall better
competition will keep
enter upon an activity or enterprise you humble.”Washington Post (Jan 17,
2012)
An autopsy has reportedly
been undertaken but the results are not 77. scheme
expected for several weeks.
an elaborate and systematic plan of
72. majority action
Some companies in the Globe District of 83. justify
Arizona have started extensive
underground schemes for mining large show to be reasonable or provide
tonnages very cheaply by "caving" adequate ground for
methods.Hoskin, Arthur J.
He felt sure that if the
78. keen circumstances justified it, the
necessary proceedings could be
demonstrating ability to recognize or taken.”Anonymous
draw fine distinctions
84. flag
Not one of his movements escaped
her keen observation; she drank in a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive
every shiver.Wingfield, Lewis design

79. liberal Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

declared three days of mourning and
having political views favoring reform ordered flags flown at half staff.New
and progress York Times (Feb 16, 2012)

Romney’s actually done well in open 85. merit

primaries where fiscally conservative yet
socially liberal independents have any admirable or beneficial attribute
backed him over his opponents.
Thus far in our inquiry
80. despair extraordinary merits have been offset
by extraordinary defects.Ayres, Harry
a state in which all hope is lost or absent Morgan

There were wounded love, and wounded 86. manifest

pride, and despair, and coming
madness, all in that piteous cry.Reade, reveal its presence or make an
Charles appearance

81. tide A too rapid transformation of existing

conditions might very easily lead to an
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level economic crisis, symptoms of which are
already beginning
In the case of mobile connectivity, a to manifestthemselves.Vay, P?ter
rising tide does not lift all
boats.Slate (Feb 9, 2012) 87. notion

82. attitude a general inclusive concept

a complex mental state involving beliefs Does that old notion that defense wins
and feelings championships still hold up these
days?Seattle Times (Jan 13, 2012)
"Behaviours have changed
and attitudes have changed," Mr Taylor 88. scale
said.
relative magnitude
And there might not be much money, so offering pirated episodes.New York
fashion shows are done on a much Times (Feb 8, 2012)
smaller scale.Seattle Times (Feb 17,
2012) 94. plead

89. formal enter a defendant's answer

characteristic of or befitting a person in Aria pleaded not guilty, but he

authority acknowledged that he had violated
some laws.New York Times (Feb 18,
A formal decision to call off the search is 2012)
likely on Wednesday, rescue officials
said.New York Times (Jan 31, 2012) 95. weigh

90. resource be oppressive or burdensome

a new or reserve supply that can be So far, the political turmoil has not
drawn upon when needed appeared to have discouraged visitors,
but prolonged strife could weigh on
“Economists assume that, under normal tourism.New York Times (Feb 11, 2012)
conditions, markets will
allocateresources efficiently,” he 96. mode
added.
how something is done or how it
91. persist happens

continue to exist Speaking of science, he says, in language

far in advance of his times: ‘There are
Old ideas, long after the conditions under two modes of knowing—by argument
which they were produced have passed and by experiment.Adams, W. H.
away, often persist in Davenport (William Henry Davenport)
surviving.Ingersoll, Robert Green
97. distinction
92. contempt
a discrimination between things as
lack of respect accompanied by a different
feeling of intense dislike
But such a distinction is quite external; at
And with his backhanded contempt for all heart the men may be very much
things ordinary, Blake is making some of alike.Anonymous
the catchiest, most difficult music in
recent memory. 98. inclined

93. tour at an angle to the horizontal or vertical

position
a route all the way around a particular
place or area Such an inclined passage following a
seam of coal is known as a
He typed in “South Park” and took senior slope.Hoskin, Arthur J.
executives on a tour of Web sites
99. attribute
 a quality belonging to or characteristic of He toiled in the sweat of his brow, tilling the
an entity stubborn ground, taking out stones,
building fences.Adler, Felix
The authors found that when the available
prospects varied more inattributes such 105. perish
as age, height, occupation and
educational background, people made pass from physical life
fewer dating proposals.Scientific
American (Feb 13, 2012) Simon Wiesenthal's parents are long since
deceased, with his father dying in World
100. exert War I and his mother perishing in the
Holocaust.
make a great effort at a mental or
physical task 106. disposition

School boards may come to exert even your usual mood

greater influence over what students
read.Forbes (Jan 23, 2012) Melancholia — the state of mind — can
hide behind seemingly
101. oppress sunnydispositions.Seattle Times (Dec
28, 2011)
come down on or keep down by unjust
use of one's authority 107. rail

Those who managed to survive were complain bitterly

later oppressed by Poland's post-war
communist authorities. Mr. Gray railed against lengthy stage
directions, saying he crossed them out
102. contend in scripts before he would begin
rehearsals with his actors.New York
compete for something Times (Feb 7, 2012)

But eight men, however bold and stout- 108. cardinal

hearted, could not long contendwith an
enemy at least four times their one of a group of prominent bishops in
number.Strang, Herbert the Sacred College

103. stake Each time he names cardinals he puts his

stamp on Roman Catholicism's future by
a strong wooden or metal post driven choosing men who share his
into the ground views.Chicago Tribune (Feb 18, 2012)

His remains were buried in Cannon Street, 109. boast

and a stake was driven through the
body.Andrews, William talk about oneself with excessive pride
or self-regard
104. toil
Mr. Estes was also well connected
work hard politically, boasting that the president of
the United States took his calls.New
York Times (Dec 10, 2011)
110. advocate " multitude" of alternatives has
emerged, all competing for
a person who pleads for a person, customers.Chicago Tribune (Dec 28,
cause, or idea 2011)

Well, safety advocates, consumers and the 116. steep

government dragged the automobile
industry toward including seat belts, air having a sharp inclination
bags, more visible taillights and other
safety features.New York Times (Feb It was narrow and very steep, and had
19, 2012) precipices in all parts, so that they could
not mount upward except one at a
111. bestow time.Various

present 117. heed

He bestowed public buildings and river pay close attention to

improvements in return for votes.Gilbert,
Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) But Cain was already too far gone
to heed the warning voice.Adler, Felix
112. allege
118. modest
report or maintain
not large but sufficient in size or amount
It is being fired into enclosed areas and
homes, the human rights groupalleges. A healthy person living in an unfashionable
city with no student loans to pay off can
113. notwithstanding get by on a
fairly modest income.Slate (Feb 17,
despite anything to the contrary 2012)

He seems to have taken things easily 119. partial

enough, notwithstanding the sorrow
and suffering that surrounded him on being or affecting only a segment
every side.Adams, W. H. Davenport
(William Henry Davenport) Generalizations of this sweeping order are
apt to contain only partial truth.Clarke,
114. lofty Helen Archibald

of imposing height; especially standing 120. apt

out above others
naturally disposed toward
He found himself in an enormous hall with
a lofty ceiling.Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente Another reason to display beds at an
electronics show: consumers are aptto
115. multitude use high-tech devices while tucked
in.New York Times (Jan 9, 2012)
a large indefinite number
121. esteem
Department store chains in general have
been strained in recent years as a the condition of being honored
Despite being held in the 127. cede
highest esteem by his fellow poets,
Redgrove never quite achieved the relinquish possession or control over
critical reception or readership he
deserved. Some militia chiefs say they will
only cede command of their fighters
122. credible once an organized military and security
apparatus is in place.
appearing to merit belief or acceptance
128. perpetual
Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, has acknowledged continuing forever or indefinitely
receiving the memo but said he ignored
it as not credible.New York Times (Dec The river is a perpetual enjoyment, always
19, 2011) something going on.Waddington, Mary
King
123. provoke
129. decree
provide the needed stimulus for
a legally binding command or decision
It provoked a bigger reaction than we
could ever have anticipated. While the decree takes effect immediately,
it requires Parliament’s approval within
124. tread 60 days to remain in force.

a step in walking or running 130. contrive

The farmer went down, his clumsy boots make or work out a plan for; devise
making no sound on the uncarpeted
stairway, so careful was The wily Roc, never taken much by
his tread.Woolson, Constance surprise, contrived to escape, but old
Fenimore Tributor and his men were all
captured.Thornbury, Walter
125. ascertain
131. derived
learn or discover with confidence
formed or developed from something
Health care providers and manufacturers else; not original
can ascertain alternative treatment
more effectively by tackling predicted Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower,
drug shortage incidences early in the Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all
process.Forbes (Feb 13, 2012) members of the same
species, derived from a single
126. fare prehistoric plant variety.Slate (Feb 21,
2012)
proceed, get along, or succeed
132. elaborate
A recent study breaks down how graduates
with various college degrees marked by complexity and richness of
arefaring in today’s difficult job detail
market.Washington Post (Feb 17, 2012)
But the tobacco industry and owners of In the United Kingdom and Europe the
other convenience stores say tribal devices are not used unless the need
cigarette manufacturing is just is warranted by the patient's medical
an elaborate form of tax evasion.New condition.
York Times (Feb 22, 2012)
138. sob
133. substantial
weep convulsively
real; having a material or factual
existence He cried and trembled, sobbing, while they
spoke, like the child he was.Weyman,
Defence lawyers said the large number of Stanley J.
forensic tests which had been carried
out had failed to find 139. rider
any substantial evidence linked to the
accused. a traveler who actively sits and travels
on an animal
134. frontier
In horseback riding, a rider will give
a wilderness at the edge of a settled commands by squeezing or lengthening
area of a country the reins and altering the position of his
legs.
Adding to the precarious security situation,
tribesmen kidnapped 18 Egyptian 140. dense
border guards along the frontier with
Israel in Sinai Peninsula.New York permitting little if any light to pass
Times (Feb 9, 2012) through
135. facile Dense black smoke rose in the distance as
demonstrators burned tires in Shiite
arrived at without due care or effort; villages.
lacking depth
141. afflict
As one teacher remarks about a troubled
student, “There is cause physical pain or suffering in
no facilesolution.”New York Times (Oct
11, 2011)
Melanoma globally afflicts nearly 160,000
new people each year.
136. cite
142. flourish
make reference to
grow vigorously
The Federal Reserve has pledged low
interest rates until late 2014, citing in
part the weakness of the job market. His business had been all along
steadily flourishing, his patrons had
been of high social position, some most
137. warrant illustrious, others actually
royal.Petherick, Horace William
show to be reasonable or provide
adequate ground for 143. ordain
 invest with ministerial or priestly obvious to the eye or mind
authority
Its bright scarlet fruits are conspicuous in
One of the present bishops was late autumn.Anonymous
consecrated when quite a young boy,
and deacons are often ordained at 149. retort
sixteen, and even much earlier.Bird,
Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy) a quick reply to a question or remark
144. pious Having put him in ill humour with this retort,
she fled away rejoicing.Coster, Charles
having or showing or expressing Th?odore Henri de
reverence for a deity
150. jet
Mother, you see, is a very pious woman,
and she attributes it all to Providence, an airplane powered by gas turbines
saying that it was the Divine interference
in her behalf.Various
Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two
warships and bomb disposal experts will
145. vex also be on duty to guard against security
threats.Seattle Times (Feb 20, 2012)
disturb, especially by minor irritations
151. bolt
There are vexing problems slowing the
growth and the practical implementation run away
of big data technologies.Forbes (Oct 21,
2011)
The blare of bugles was heard, and a few
seconds afterwards Jackson, still facing
146. gravity the enemy, shouted: "By Jupiter,
they're bolting, sir."Strang, Herbert
the force of attraction between all
masses in the universe 152. assent
Once captured, the combined object will agree or express agreement
have a new center of gravity and may
be spinning in an uncontrolled way.
His two companions readily assented, and
the promise was mutually given and
147. suspended received.Keightley, Thomas
supported or kept from sinking or falling 153. purse
by buoyancy
a sum spoken of as the contents of a
Frustrating enough at ground level, but can money container
you imagine the agony about a
stranded, ever-soggier Oreo She watched over her husband, kept his
being suspended 11 feet above the accounts, held the family purse,
ground?Washington Post (Feb 21,
2012) managed all his affairs. Shorter,
Clement K.
148. conspicuous 154. plus
 the arithmetic operation of summing recklessly wasteful

The survey’s margin of error was plus or Advisers say new millionaires are prone to
minus four percentage points. mistakes, like
makingextravagant purchases or risky
155. sanction deals with friends.

give authority or permission to 161. wax

The Securities and Exchange Commission increase in phase

said last year it had sanctioned39
senior officers for conduct related to the Carols had existed for centuries, though
housing market meltdown. their popularity waxed and waned as
different governments and religious
156. proceeding movements periodically declared them
sinful.
a sequence of steps by which legal
judgments are invoked 162. throng

Chu attended the special court- press tightly together or cram

martial proceeding on Monday in
Hawaii, Hill said. Deafening cheers rent the air as he landed;
hundreds thronged around him to clasp
157. exalt his hand.Strang, Herbert

praise, glorify, or honor 163. venerate

Some exalt themselves by anonymously regard with feelings of respect and

posting their own laudatory reviews.New reverence
York Times (Jan 26, 2012)
He venerated me like a being descended
158. siege from an upper world.Blasco Ib??ez,
Vicente
an action of an armed force that
surrounds a fortified place 164. assail

Rebellion broke out, and finally the aged attack someone physically or
Caliph, after enduring a siege of several emotionally
weeks, was murdered in his own
house.Nicholson, Reynold His campaign even issued a press
release assailing other rivals for, in Mr.
159. malice Paul’s view, taking Mr. Romney’s quote
about firing people out of context.New
feeling a need to see others suffer York Times (Feb 16, 2012)

He viewed the moths with malice, their 165. sublime

fluttering wings fanning his
resentment.Lyman, Olin L. of high moral or intellectual value

160. extravagant He was uneven, disproportioned, saying

ordinary things on great occasions, and
 now and then, without the slightest The letter claims pensioners are too often
provocation, uttering thesublimest and patronised, humiliated, denied privacy
most beautiful thoughts.Ingersoll, Robert or even medical treatment.
Green
172. suffrage
166. exploit
a legal right to vote
draw from; make good use of
There has been a great deal said in this
As humans increasingly exploit the deep country of late in regard to giving the
seas for fish, oil and mining, right of suffrage to women.Ingersoll,
understanding how species are Robert Green
dispersed is crucial, Copley
said.Scientific American (Jan 3, 2012) 173. ensue

167. exertion take place or happen afterward or as a

result
use of physical or mental energy; hard
work An uproar ensued months after the
approval, when opponents realized the
One day overcome by exertion, she fainted online gambling measure had been
in the street.Ingersoll, Robert Green slipped in.New York Times (Feb 16,
2012)
168. kindle
174. brook
catch fire
a natural stream of water smaller than a
Then a match was kindled and fire river
applied.Warner, Susan
He walked across the little bridge over
169. endow the brook and at once his mood
changed.Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred
furnish with a capital fund Edward Woodley)

The grammar school here, founded in 1533, 175. gale

is liberally endowed, with scholarships
and exhibitions.Various a strong wind moving 45-90 knots

170. imposed The gale was accompanied, as usual, by

incessant rain and thick weather, and a
set forth authoritatively as obligatory heavy confused sea kept our decks
always flooded.Fitzroy, Robert
The Arab League has already suspended
Syria and imposed economic sanctions. 176. muse

171. humiliate reflect deeply on a subject

cause to feel shame Musing about the Big Picture may be a lot
more gratifying than focusing on the
details of the specific policies that aren’t
working.
177. satire He made his customary slick feeds to open
teammates, but as is their wont, the
witty language used to convey insults or Nets struggled at times to convert points
scorn on his passes.New York Times (Feb 20,
2012)
There’s plenty of humor on Russian
television, though not much 183. tract
politicalsatire; Mr. Putin put a stop to
that long ago.New York Times (Feb 13, a system of body parts that serve some
2012) particular purpose

178. intrigue When probiotics flourish in the

digestive tract, nutrients are better
cause to be interested or curious absorbed and bad bugs are held at bay,
research suggests.Seattle Times (Jan
Designing and building models 10, 2012)
that intrigue and educate without
overwhelming has been 184. canon
challenging.Science Magazine (Nov 24,
2011) a collection of books accepted as holy
scripture
179. indication
For me, all novels of any consequence are
something that serves to suggest literary, and they take their place, high
and low, in the canon of English
Authorities said an autopsy found literature.
no indications of foul play or obvious
signs of trauma on Houston.Seattle 185. impel
Times (Feb 15, 2012)
cause to move forward with force
180. dispatch
Some power beyond his comprehension
send away towards a designated goal was impelling him toward the
neighboring city.Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente
More than one assassin
was dispatched by the Turkish 186. latitude
authorities to murder Napoleon.Various
freedom from normal restraints in
181. cower conduct

crouch or curl up Great employees often get more latitude to

bring up controversial subjects in a
The knaves lowered their weapons and group setting because their performance
shrank back cowering before allows greater freedom.
him.Weyman, Stanley J.
187. vacate
182. wont
leave behind empty; move out of
an established custom
Their number diminished sharply after
Villaraigosa announced last week that
 he wanted protesters to vacate the ask for or request earnestly
grounds by Monday or be forcibly
removed.Chicago Tribune (Nov 30, Utterly distraught, he ran up and down the
2011) bank, hunting for his clothes, calling,
crying out, imploring, beseeching help
188. undertaking from somewhere.Frank, Ulrich

any piece of work that is attempted 194. philosophical

"Let my epitaph be, Here lies Joseph, who relating to the investigation of existence
was unsuccessful in all and knowledge
hisundertakings."Marvin, Frederic
Rowland His arguments, like Einstein’s, were
qualitative, verging on
189. slay highlyphilosophical.Scientific
American (Jan 30, 2012)
kill intentionally and with premeditation
195. grove
"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an
armed to slay an unarmed a small growth of trees without
man."Unknown underbrush

190. predecessor Soon after we came to Pasadena, father

bought an orange grove of twenty-five
one who precedes you in time acres.Chamberlain, James Franklin

Heller fills in the blanks about Taft, 196. frustrate

overshadowed by
colorful predecessorTeddy hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or
Roosevelt.Seattle Times (Feb 22, 2012) desire

191. delicacy Frustrated after two years of missed

budget targets, finance chiefs
the quality of being exquisitely fine in demanded Greek officials put their
appearance verbal commitments into law.

This refinement appears in his works, which 197. illustrious

are full of artistic grace and
dainty delicacy.Drake, Samuel Adams widely known and esteemed

192. forsake She will be joining an illustrious list of

recipients that include Winston
leave someone who needs or counts on Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Pope John
you; leave in the lurch Paul II and Princess Diana.

"I'm surprised," said Philip, cautiously 198. device

opening fire, "that you were ever
allowed to forsake your native an instrumentality invented for a
land."Hay, Ian particular purpose

193. beseech
You’ve probably also noticed that the the income or profit arising from a
telephone and computer are no longer transaction
the only devices on your employees’
desks.Forbes (Feb 26, 2012) His own share in the proceeds was about a
hundred thousand dollars.Stark, James
199. pomp H.

cheap or pretentious or vain display 205. fathom

Throughout U.S. history, Americans have come to understand

been fascinated by royal pomp -- even
on a movie screen. But after flying for so many years, the idea
of hanging up his sparkling wings is
200. entreat hard for him to fathom.New York
Times (Mar 17, 2012)
ask for or request earnestly
206. objective
"Let me go now, please," she entreated,
her eyes unable to meet his any the goal intended to be attained
longer.Hope, Anthony
The objective was to mobilize students
201. impart from 18 high schools across the city to
provide community services and inspire
transmit, as knowledge or a skill others.New York Times (Feb 5, 2012)

Long before writing and books were in 207. clad

common use, proverbs were the
principal means wearing or provided with clothing
of imparting instruction.Preston,
Thomas A few of the villagers came behind, clad in
mourning robes, and bearing lighted
202. propriety tapers.Various

correct behavior 208. partisan

I felt a trifle doubtful about the propriety of devoted to a cause or party

taking a short cut across private
grounds, and said as much.Sutphen, But given the bitter partisan divide in an
Van Tassel election year, Democrats said they
would never be able to get such
203. consecrate legislation passed.Chicago Tribune (Mar
30, 2012)
render holy by means of religious rites
209. faction
The building was consecrated as a
Protestant Episcopal church in May, a dissenting clique
1814.Faris, John T. (John Thomson)
One faction declared it would begin an
204. proceeds armed struggle against the government
of the United States.Slate (Feb 29,
2012)
210. contrived Afterward, the leaders fought court orders
to release records showing what they
artificially formal had done, drawing an uncommonly
sharp rebuke from a federal
In lesser hands the story about a young judge.Washington Post (Mar 14, 2012)
man who discovers life among the dead
could be impossibly cute 216. insurgent
and contrived.New York Times (Mar
25, 2012) in opposition to a civil authority or
government
211. venerable
The Free Syrian Army, an insurgent group
impressive by reason of age made of defecting soldiers and based in
southern Turkey, claimed responsibility
Thus, after much more than two hundred for both attacks.New York Times (Nov
years, the venerable building looks 20, 2011)
almost as it did when the first students
entered its doors.Faris, John T. (John 217. rhetoric
Thomson)
using language effectively to please or
212. restrained persuade

not showy or obtrusive His fiery rhetoric in support of limiting cuts

to projected defense spending has
By contrast, Mr. Pei’s restrained design surprised and impressed some of
took time to claim my attention, Obama's toughest Republican critics.
particularly since it sat quietly next door
to Saarinen’s concrete gull wings.New 218. scrupulous
York Times (Oct 6, 2011)
having ethical or moral principles
213. besiege
The reason is that the vast majority of
harass, as with questions or requests businesses are scrupulous and treat
their employees well.
He can’t trot down the street without
being besieged by paparazzi.New York 219. ratify
Times (Mar 18, 2012)
approve and express assent,
214. manifestation responsibility, or obligation

a clear appearance Company officials at Safeway said those

replacement workers will remain on
Singing and dancing are manifestations of standby until the agreement
what many Syrians describe as a much is ratified by union
broader cultural flowering.New York members.Washington Post (Mar 29,
Times (Dec 19, 2011) 2012)

215. rebuke 220. stump

an act or expression of criticism and cause to be perplexed or confounded

censure
Though family members long suspected a statement that is held to be true
Evans, a local handyman who frequently
hired local youths, the Success, real success, comes to the jack of
case stumped investigators for all trades, a major premisehanded
years.Washington Post (Aug 30, 2011) down from pioneer days.Gilbert, Clinton
W. (Clinton Wallace)
221. discreet
227. subside
marked by prudence or modesty and
wise self-restraint wear off or die down

Sarkozy has attempted to tone down his Affliction is allayed, grief subsides, sorrow
image, becoming more discreetabout is soothed, distress is
his private life. mitigated.Webster, Noah

222. imposing 228. adverse

impressive in appearance contrary to your interests or welfare

These buildings were grand and stylized High doses can have adverse effects and
with intricate details and a bit of even cause death.Seattle Times (Mar
animposing presence.Scientific 26, 2012)
American (Mar 5, 2012)
229. caprice
223. wistful
a sudden desire
showing pensive sadness
Nobody is really in charge, and decisions
She turned toward him, her face troubled, are made on whim and caprice.”New
her eyes most wistful.Mason, A. E. W. York Times (Apr 10, 2011)
(Alfred Edward Woodley)
230. muster
224. mortify
gather or bring together
cause to feel shame
Yet Fox needed all the strength that he
Intensely mortified at this humiliation, the could muster.Rosebery, Archibald
king fell sick, and henceforth his health Phillip Primrose
failed rapidly.Various
231. comprehensive
225. ripple
broad in scope
stir up so as to form small waves
The United States Army developed
That could precipitate higher interest rates a comprehensive plan to address
that would ripple across the problematic race relations in the 1970s,
economy.Washington Post (Jul 27, recognizing that they were hampering
2011) military effectiveness.New York
Times (Feb 6, 2012)
226. premise
232. accede
 yield to another's wish or opinion people having the same social or
economic status
Therefore he made up his mind
to accede to his uncle's She belonged to the upper stratum of the
desire.Streckfuss, Adolph profession, and, knowing it, could not
sink.George, Walter Lionel
233. fervent
239. conscientious
characterized by intense emotion
characterized by extreme care and great
But, to fervent applause and scattered fist effort
pumps from two sets of worshipers, he
pledged to legally challenge the claims A conscientious hostess would be very
against him.New York Times (Sep 26, much mortified if she served chicken out
2010) of its proper course.Reed, Myrtle

234. cohere 240. arbitrary

cause to form a united, orderly, and based on or subject to individual

consistent whole discretion or preference

Two antagonistic values may cohere in the Sandra Nurse, a member of Occupy's direct
same object.Anderson, Benjamin M. action working group, said police treated
(Benjamin McAlester) demonstrators roughly and
made arbitrary arrests.Time (Mar 18,
235. tribunal 2012)

an assembly to conduct judicial 241. exasperate

business
irritate
The military has historically been protected
from civilian courts, with any crimes Shopkeepers, exasperated at the impact of
committed by soldiers being decided in higher taxes and reduced consumer
closed military tribunals. spending, are planning to close down for
the day.New York Times (Feb 7, 2012)
236. austere
242. conjure
severely simple
summon into action or bring into
A certain austere simplicity was noticeable existence
all over Longfellow's house.Anonymous
Vacation homes typically conjure up
237. recovering dreams of blue skies, pristine sand and
crystalline waters.Wall Street
returning to health after illness or debility Journal (Feb 28, 2012)

“The recovering economy is bringing more 243. ominous

people back into the market.Washington
Post (Mar 22, 2012) threatening or foreshadowing evil or
tragic developments
238. stratum
The Count's words were so ominous, so If Republicans repeal the law, Ms.
full of sinister meaning that for the Schakowsky said, they would be “taking
moment he felt like crying out with away benefits that seniors are already
fear.Hocking, Joseph getting.”New York Times (Mar 19, 2012)

244. edifice 250. retiring

a structure that has a roof and walls not arrogant or presuming

They are here erecting a fine Foster was an extremely modest,

stone edifice for an Episcopal unworldly, retiring gentleman.Rosenbac
Church.Clark, John A. h, A. S. W.

245. elude 251. incidental

escape, either physically or mentally not of prime or central importance

But despite racking up world titles, Olympic The models themselves are incidental on
gold was eluding him. “Scouted,” merely empty planets around
which revolve some fascinating
246. pervade characters and plenty more dull
ones.New York Times (Nov 27, 2011)
spread or diffuse through
252. acquiesce
An air of intense anticipation pervaded the
General’s dining room.Burnett, Carolyn agree or express agreement
Judson
American officials initially tried to resist
247. foster President Karzai’s moves but
eventually acquiesced.New York
promote the growth of Times (Mar 9, 2012)

Mr. Horne accused the district’s Mexican- 253. slew

American studies program of using an
antiwhite curriculum to foster social a large number or amount or extent
activism.New York Times (Mar 19,
2012) In fact, intense focus may be one reason
why so-called savants become so
248. admonish extraordinary at performing extensive
calculations or remembering a slewof
scold or reprimand; take to task facts.Scientific American (Mar 3, 2012)

"Children, children, stop quarrelling, right 254. usurp

here in public!" admonishedMrs.
Dering, in a low, shocked tone.Perry, seize and take control without authority
Nora
More than anything, though, officials
249. repeal expressed concern about reigniting
longstanding Mexican concerns about
cancel officially the United States’ usurping Mexico’s
 authority.New York Times (Mar 15, 260. precept
2011)
rule of personal conduct
255. sentinel
The law of nature has but one precept, "Be
a person employed to keep watch for strong."Williams, C. M.
some anticipated event
261. deference
The prisoners undressed themselves as
usual, and went to bed, observed by a courteous expression of esteem or
the sentinel.Drake, Samuel Adams regard

256. precision Other rules, as indicated in Mr. Collins'

book, concerned deportment, and
the quality of being reproducible in demanded constant deference to
amount or performance superiors.Faris, John T. (John
Thomson)
At this time, home ranges of small rodents
can not be measured with 262. fray
greatprecision, therefore any such
calculations are, at best, only a noisy fight
approximations.Douglas, Charles L.
Armed rebels have joined the fray in recent
257. depose months.

force to leave an office 263. candid

Late Wednesday, Mr. Touré, openly straightforward and direct without

the deposed president, spoke out from secretiveness
hiding for the first time.New York
Times (Mar 30, 2012) The actor was candid about his own
difficult childhood growing up with
258. wanton alcoholic parents.Seattle Times (Feb 17,
2012)
unprovoked or without motive or
justification 264. enduring

I am not a sentimentalist by any means, yet unceasing

I abominate wanton cruelty.Stables,
Gordon What makes the galumphing hubby such
an enduring stock character?Slate (Mar
259. odium 26, 2012)

state of disgrace resulting from 265. impertinent

detestable behavior
improperly forward or bold
This was one of the men who
bring odium on the whole class of Imagine calling a famous writer by his first
prisoners, and prejudice society against name—it seemed impertinent, to say
them.Henderson, Frank the least.Watkins, Shirley
266. bland I have heard lots of women
simply rave about him.Kauffman,
lacking stimulating characteristics; Reginald Wright
uninteresting
272. monetary
Many critics were less than enamored with
the kind of “easy listening” Mr. Williams relating to or involving money
embodied, deriding his approach
as bland and unchallenging.New York A hundred years ago, monetary policy –
Times (Oct 9, 2011) control over interest rates and the
availability of credit – was viewed as a
267. insinuate highly contentious political issue.New
York Times (Mar 29, 2012)
suggest in an indirect or covert way;
give to understand 273. headlong

"Good heavens, do you mean in a hasty and foolhardy manner

to insinuate that I did anything
crooked?" said Bojo loudly, yet at the “They may not be wishing to
bottom ill at ease.Johnson, Owen rush headlong back into the same sort
of risks just yet.”
268. nominal
274. infallible
insignificantly small; a matter of form
only incapable of failure or error

He sought nominal damages of one dollar But conductors are no more infallible than
from each defendant. other people, and once in a blue moon
in going through a train they miss a
269. suppliant passenger.Lynde, Francis

humbly entreating 275. coax

The colonists asked for nothing but what influence or urge by gentle urging,
was clearly right and asked in the most caressing, or flattering
respectful and
even suppliant manner.Judson, L. He used his most enticing manner and did
Carroll his best to coax the little animal out
again.Kay, Ross
270. languid
276. explicate
lacking spirit or liveliness
elaborate, as of theories and
Many viewers, bored by the languid pace hypotheses
of the show, tuned out early.New York
Times (Dec 30, 2011) He urged judges to resist the rigid
guidelines and to write
271. rave opinionsexplicating their reasons for
doing so.New York Times (Jan 22,
praise enthusiastically 2010)
277. gaunt Some analysts expect Mr. Falcone, who is
known for his doggeddetermination, to
very thin especially from disease or just continue to limp along while
hunger or cold slashing costs.New York Times (Feb 15,
2012)
Gaunt, starved, and ragged, the men
marched northwards, leaving the Touat 283. ebb
country upon their left hand.Mason, A.
E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) fall away or decline

278. morbid Although Gardner’s competitive

appetite ebbed after 2004, other
suggesting the horror of death and cravings did not.New York Times (Jan
decay 28, 2012)

Earlier in the day, however, his demise was 284. aide

watched by spectators with
amorbid fascination.New York someone who acts as an assistant
Times (Aug 16, 2010)
She later found work as a teacher’s aide in
279. ranging a Head Start program in Harlem.New
York Times (Jan 12, 2012)
wandering freely
285. appease
His detective work is fascinating and
wide ranging.Seattle Times (Feb 1, cause to be more favorably inclined;
2012) gain the good will of

280. pacify The king also has tried to appease public

anger over corruption.New York
ease the anger, agitation, or strong Times (Feb 9, 2012)
emotion of
286. stipulate
How they pacified him I don’t know, but at
the end of two hours he had cooled off make an express demand or provision
enough to let us go aboard.Quincy, in an agreement
Samuel M.
The mayor has an executive order in
281. pastoral place stipulating that all top officials,
except those granted a waiver, live in
idyllically rustic the city.New York Times (Sep 22, 2011)

He made a considerable reputation as an 287. recourse

accomplished painter of
quietpastoral subjects and carefully something or someone turned to for
elaborated landscapes with assistance or security
cattle.Various
Bargain hunters and holiday shoppers are
282. dogged bad guys’ favorite targets and have little
or no recourse when shoddy or fake
stubbornly unyielding
 merchandise arrives.Forbes (Nov 22, an embankment built around a space for
2011) defensive purposes

288. constrained The night was gloomy, dark, and wet; the
soldiers, wearied with watching at
lacking spontaneity; not natural the ramparts, dozed, leaning on their
weapons.Sienkiewicz, Henryk
All his goodness, however, will be of a
forced, constrained, artificial, and at 294. extort
bottom unreal character.Hyde, William
De Witt obtain by coercion or intimidation

289. bate The owners, in turn, have called the

lawyers shakedown artists bent on
moderate or restrain; lessen the force of ruining their good reputations
to extort money.New York Times (Jan
“You called her ‘an interfering, disagreeable 27, 2012)
old woman’!” whispered Bertha
with bated breath, glancing half fearfully 295. tarry
at the door as she spoke.Vaizey,
George de Horne, Mrs. leave slowly and hesitantly

290. aversion For two days I tarried in Paris, settling my

little property.Ford, Paul Leicester
a feeling of intense dislike
296. perpetrate
Already my passive dislike had grown into
an active aversion.Oppenheim, E. perform an act, usually with a negative
Phillips (Edward Phillips) connotation

291. conceit Come on it’s just a cruel

joke perpetrated by the airline
an artistic device or effect industry.”Forbes (Dec 11, 2011)

An urban panorama is viewed from a high 297. decorum

vantage point, a conceit used in
topographic art to render vast propriety in manners and conduct
perspectives.New York Times (Sep 30,
2011) Wishing to observe the rules
of decorum she invited him to stay for
292. loath supper, though absolutely nothing had
been prepared for a guest.Sudermann,
strongly opposed Hermann

Friends and political allies are loath to talk 298. luxuriant

about her, knowing the family’s intense
obsession with privacy.New York produced or growing in extreme
Times (Aug 14, 2011) abundance

293. rampart Her luxuriant curly hair, restrained by no

net, but held together simply by a
 flowering spray, waved over her 304. symmetry
shoulders in all its rich
abundance.Elisabeth Burstenbinder balance among the parts of something
(AKA E. Werner)
Even the staging displays symmetry, with
299. cant actors lined up on either side in formal
precision.New York Times (Jan 24,
insincere talk about religion or morals 2011)

It was the familiar cant of the man rich 305. capitulate

enough to affect disdain for money, and
Wade was not impressed.Day, Holman surrender under agreed conditions

300. enjoin "Alas, no," said Bergfeld, mournfully, "the

day after the battle our brave soldiers
give instructions to or direct somebody were surrounded by overwhelming
to do something forces and obliged
tocapitulate."Meding, Johann
He turned to beckon the others forward with Ferdinand Martin Oskar
one hand, while laying the other over his
mouth in a 306. arbitrate
gesture enjoining silence.Breckenridge,
Gerald act between parties with a view to
reconciling differences
301. avarice
The Scottish throne was now disputed by
extreme greed for material wealth many claimants, and the Scots asked
Edward to arbitrate between
The old man's fears were assailed with them.Various
threats, and his avarice was
approached by bribes, and he very soon 307. cleave
capitulated.Abbott, John S. C. (John
Stevens Cabot) separate or cut with a tool, such as a
sharp instrument
302. edict
Instead someone shouts "Go" and he is
a formal or authoritative proclamation bearing down on me and
almostcleaves my shield in two with his
An edict was issued by him forbidding any first blow.
Christian to give instruction in Greek
literature under any 308. append
circumstances.Lightfoot, J. B.
add to the very end
303. disconcert
Some specimens will appear in the
cause to lose one's composure papers appended to this report.Various

Perplexed and disconcerted, I found no 309. visage

words to answer such an amazing
sally.Chambers, Robert W. (Robert the human face
William)
An honest, quiet laugh often mantled his work hard to come to terms with or deal
pale earnest visage.Turnbull, Robert with something

310. horde But, he said, all coastal communities will

have to grapple with rising seas.New
a moving crowd York Times (Mar 24, 2012)

Hordes of puzzled tourists, many with 316. gentry

rolling suitcases attached, poured down
the staircases.New York Times (Jan 1, the most powerful members of a society
2012)
The mode of travel of the gentry was riding
311. parable horses, but most people traveled by
walking.Reilly, S. A.
a short moral story
317. pall
In most instances, I have closed my visits
by reading some interesting story a sudden numbing dread
or parable.Frothingham, Octavius
Brooks Residents who fled in recent days spoke of
the smell of death and piles of garbage
312. chastise drifting like snowbanks, casting
a pall over the city.New York
censure severely Times (Mar 7, 2012)

She remembers an upsetting incident when 318. maxim

a headmistress chastised her for
working too much. a saying that is widely accepted on its
own merits
313. foil
The maxim "All is fair in love and war" was
hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or applied literally.Thomson, Basil
desire
319. projection
On March 1st, a Turkish newspaper
reported that the country's intelligence a prediction made by extrapolating from
service had foiled an attempt by Syrian past observations
agents to kidnap the colonel.
Volume is down 25 percent from five years
314. veritable ago, and projections show even further
declines, said Postmaster General
being truly so called; real or genuine Patrick R. Donahoe.New York
Times (Mar 22, 2012)
The heavy rain had reduced this low-lying
ground to a veritable quagmire, making 320. prowess
progress very difficult even for one as
unburdened as he was.Putnam Weale, a superior skill learned by study and
B. L. (Bertram Lenox) practice

315. grapple While our engineering prowess has

advanced a great deal over the past
 sixty years, the principles of innovation 326. rout
largely have not.
an overwhelming defeat
321. dingy
It's how Seattle won Sunday's game in
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or Chicago, scoring 31 consecutive
soot second-half points as an impressive
comeback became an
Though composed amid the unromantic overwhelmingrout.Seattle Times (Dec
surroundings of a dingy, dusty, and 19, 2011)
neglected back room, the speech has
become a memorable 327. staid
document.Herndon, William H.
characterized by dignity and propriety
322. semblance
He was prim and staid and liked to do
an outward appearance that is things in an orderly fashion.Doyle, A.
deliberately misleading Conan

He was perceptibly older, in the way in 328. beguile

which people look older all at once after
having long kept the semblance of influence by slyness
youth.King, Basil
I can no longer remain silent in the
323. tout presence of the schemers who seek
tobeguile you.Bolanden, Conrad von
advertise in strongly positive terms
329. purport
Testing is being touted as the means of
making the U.S. education system have the often specious appearance of
competitive, even world- being or intending
class.Washington Post (Mar 23, 2012)
Of course, none of
324. fortitude these purported medical benefits have
any grounding in science.Scientific
strength of mind that enables one to American (Jan 28, 2012)
endure adversity
330. deprave
Leigh Hunt bore himself in his captivity with
cheerful fortitude, suffering severely in corrupt morally or by intemperance or
health but flagging little in spirits or sensuality
industry.Colvin, Sidney
The people who make up this typical Gorky
325. asunder offering are drunkards,
thieves,depraved creatures of every
into parts or pieces kind.Kilmer, Joyce

In 1854, as I have already remarked, 331. bequeath

Nicaragua was split asunder by civil
war.Powell, E. Alexander (Edward leave or give, especially by will after
Alexander) one's death
No matter how often she changed her will, a protective structure of stone or
she told me, that diamond pin was concrete
always bequeathed to me.Wells,
Carolyn The cliffs are of imposing height, nearly
three hundred feet: a
332. enigma formidablebulwark.White, Walter

something that baffles understanding 338. swerve

and cannot be explained
an erratic turn from an intended course
Tails are often an enigma; many creatures
have them, but scientists know little However, I was not going to swerve from
about their function, particularly for my word.Johnstone, James Johnstone,
extinct species. chevalier de

333. assiduous 339. gird

marked by care and persistent effort prepare oneself for action or a

confrontation
He's an assiduous diary-keeper and
regularly rereads ancient entries to Protesters are girding for another police
check up on himself. raid as several City Council members
have called on protesters to
334. vassal leave.Washington Post (Nov 11, 2011)

a person holding a fief 340. betrothed

And what was of still greater importance, he pledged to be married

could only obtain taxes and soldiers
from among the vassals, by the consent We are not betrothed'—her eyes filled with
of their feudal lords.Freytag, Gustav tears,—'he can never marry me; and he
and my father have quarrelled.Fleming,
335. quail George

draw back, as with fear or pain 341. prospective

He quailed before me, and forgetting his of or concerned with or related to the
new part in old habits, muttered an future
apology.Weyman, Stanley John
Most prospective homesteaders make the
336. outskirts same mistake I did in buying horses,
unless they are experienced.Micheaux,
outlying areas, as of a city or town Oscar

Ms. Waters talked about how she had spent 342. advert
the day at an organic farm on
the outskirts of Beijing looking at make reference to
vegetables for the dinner.New York
Times (Nov 14, 2011) In the family circle it was rarely adverted to,
and never except when some allusion to
337. bulwark the approaching separation had to be
 made.Werner, E. T. C. (Edward an orientation that characterizes the
Theodore Chalmers) thinking of a group

343. peremptory Bill O’Reilly and others picked up on the

theme, summing up left-
not allowing contradiction or refusal wingideology as “San Francisco
values.”Slate (Jan 19, 2012)
This time it was not a request but
a peremptory order to go at once to 349. pallid
Cuba and undertake the work.Johnson,
Willis Fletcher lacking in vitality or interest or
effectiveness
344. rudiment
But too often the music sounded thin
the elementary stage of any subject and pallid.New York Times (Apr 25,
2010)
He retraced his steps, and came to Cape
Girardeau, in Missouri, where he 350. chagrin
remained some time, acquiring
the rudiments of the English strong feelings of embarrassment
language.Anonymous
But he was feeling deeply chagrined and
345. deduce mortified over his last escapade.White,
Fred M. (Fred Merrick)
reason from the general to the particular
351. obtrude
They then used models of global wind
circulation to deduce which dust thrust oneself in as if by force
sources have become stronger and
which weaker. She had no right to obtrude herself into his
life and to disturb it.Packard, Frank L.
346. halting (Frank Lucius)

proceeding in a fragmentary, hesitant, or 352. audacious

ineffective way
disposed to venture or take risks
“I so much love cricket,” he said, shyly,
in halting English.New York Times (Feb In an audacious operation that unfolded
22, 2012) like a Hollywood thriller, the Navy Seals
executed a daring raid deep into
347. ignominy Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden.New
York Times (Sep 4, 2011)
a state of dishonor
353. construe
After all, we love nothing better than seeing
the powerful and formerly smug dragged make sense of; assign a meaning to
across the front pages in ignominy.
But nothing that was said Tuesday can
348. ideology be construed as good
news.Washington Post (Sep 14, 2011)
354. ford make or shape as with an axe

cross a river where it's shallow They bought a log chain, and lumber for a
door; the window frames
Sometimes they drive their teams through werehewed from logs.Daughters of the
unsettled country, without roads, American Revolution. Nebraska
swimming and fording streams,
clearing away obstructions, and 360. parity
camping where night overtakes
them.Folsom, William Henry Carman functional equality

355. repast How many of the world’s problems would

be solved, or at least greatly reduced, if
the food served and eaten at one time women had true parity with men?New
York Times (Dec 15, 2011)
Fragrant coffee, light rolls, fresh butter, ham
and eggs, fried crocuses and soft crabs, 361. affable
formed the repast.Reid, Mayne
diffusing warmth and friendliness
356. stint
He was well liked and respected in these
an unbroken period of time during which islands, for his affable manners had
you do something obtained for him much
popularity.Various
He found his unionized warehouse job after
a stint working for his father, an 362. interminable
accountant.New York Times (Mar 21,
2012) tiresomely long; seemingly without end

357. fresco All was going well, but slowly, the time
taken for the last few feet seeming to
a mural done with watercolors on wet be interminable.Cumberland, Barlow
plaster
363. pillage
The little church has an ancient fresco of
St. Christopher, placed, as usual, steal goods; take as spoils
opposite the entrance.Conybeare,
Edward In addition great material losses were
inflicted: seven hundred houses were
358. dutiful destroyed, six hundred stores pillaged,
and thousands of families utterly
willingly obedient out of a sense of ruined.Straus, Oscar S.
respect
364. foreboding
Perhaps he thinks an engaged young lady
should be demure and dutiful, having a feeling of evil to come
no eyes or ears for any one except her
betrothed.Harland, Marion Mr. Harding had strong forebodings that
the trouble, so far from being ended,
359. hew was only just beginning.Marsh, Richard
365. rend The wheat, being heavy, falls, while
the chaff is blown away.Starr, Frederick
tear or be torn violently
371. innate
In the distance heavy artillery was growling,
and high explosive shells were bursting not established by conditioning or
with a violence that seemed to rend the learning
sky.Tracy, Louis
In other words, one of our most essential
366. livelihood abilities as humans--reading--is the
product of a combination of innate and
the financial means whereby one lives learned traits.

With businesses shut, fields untended and 372. reverie

fishing abandoned many have lost
their livelihoods as well as their homes, an abstracted state of absorption
our correspondent says.
He stood still, seemingly lost in reverie, and
367. deign quite oblivious to the group about
him.Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard
do something that one considers to be Gertrude)
below one's dignity
373. wrangle
To Mr. Gompers' courteous letter Czar Gary
did not deign to reply.Foster, William Z. quarrel noisily, angrily, or disruptively

368. capricious Here were many fierce and

bitter wrangles over vexed questions,
determined by chance or impulse rather turbulent scenes, displays of sectional
than by necessity feelings.Raymond, Evelyn

Her admirers were capricious, returning to 374. crevice

her at times, and then holding aloof
again; and as for suitors, they entirely a long narrow opening
disappeared.Schubin, Ossip
The disruptive power of tree roots, growing
369. stupendous in the crevices of rocks, is well
known.Various
so great in size, force, or extent as to
elicit awe 375. ostensible

The fact was so stupendous that Terry felt appearing as such but not necessarily
almost frightened over the great good so
fortune.Sabin, Edwin L. (Edwin Legrand)
This already-exhaustive book is studded
370. chaff with diary entries, academic papers and
other ostensible evidence that its
material consisting of seed coverings fictitious stories of destruction are
and pieces of stem true.New York Times (Jun 6, 2010)

376. craven
 lacking even the rudiments of courage; 382. espouse
abjectly fearful
choose and follow a theory, idea, policy,
Was it for them to follow etc.
the craven footsteps of a cowardly
generation?Robinson, Victor He said Islam should not be equated with
terrorism or the kind of
377. vestige violenceespoused by Bin Laden.

an indication that something has been 383. raiment

present
especially fine or decorative clothing
Now, there was no vestige of vegetation;
no living thing.Hopkins, William John Clothed in fine raiment and faring
sumptuously every day, he soon
378. plumb developed into a handsome lad.Oxley,
J. Macdonald (James Macdonald)
examine thoroughly and in great depth
384. intrepid
Tellingly, Ms. Liao said she had great
difficulty finding three actors willing invulnerable to fear or intimidation
toplumb their own personalities.New
York Times (Jun 1, 2011) There are some very courageous
and intrepid reporters in Afghanistan,
379. reticent including some who work for American
media outlets.
temperamentally disinclined to talk
385. seemly
No questions were asked, and few indeed
were the words spoken, according with custom or propriety
hisreticent manner preventing any
undue familiarity.Maclean, John The Baron was less conscientious, for he
ate more beefsteak than wasseemly,
380. propensity and talked a great deal of stupid
nonsense, as was his wont.Hoffmann,
an inclination to do something Ernst Theordor Wilhelm

A longtime colleague, Gate Theatre director 386. allay

Michael Colgan, noted Kelly's old-school
charms, punctuated by lessen the intensity of or calm
his propensity for bow ties and smart
suits.Seattle Times (Feb 15, 2012) Our boy was scared and confused; we tried
to allay his fears.New York Times (Mar
381. chide 30, 2012)

censure severely or angrily 387. fitful

He chided reporters as having “stalked” occurring in spells and often abruptly

family members, demanding that his
relatives be left alone.New York She had lost her composure, her breath
Times (Nov 8, 2011) came in fitful, uneven gasps, and as
 she sat there she pressed one hand be abuzz
over her heart.Davis, Owen
The coast, once teeming with traffic, is now
388. erode lonely and deserted.Mahaffy, J. P.

become ground down or deteriorate 394. estrange

Another report today showed home prices arouse hostility or indifference in

fell more than forecast in
November, eroding the wealth of An atmosphere of distrust, suspicion and
families as they seek to rebuild savings. fear can cause workers to
feelestranged from one another, Dr.
389. unaffected Wright has written.New York Times (Jan
28, 2012)
free of artificiality; sincere and genuine
395. spat
His conversation was unaffectedly simple
and frank; his language natural; always a quarrel about petty points
abounding in curious
anecdotes.Conway, Moncure Daniel Public spats are rare in the asset-
management industry, where
390. canto companies typically resolve disputes
behind closed doors.
a major division of a long poem
396. warble
Folengo’s next production was the
Orlandino, an Italian poem of sing or play with trills
eightcantos, written in rhymed
octaves.Various Meadow larks, as you have undoubtedly
noticed, warble many different
391. docile songs.Barrett, R. E.

easily handled or managed 397. mien

Time and again humans have domesticated a person's appearance, manner, or

wild , producing tame individuals with demeanor
softer appearances and
more docile temperaments, such as Nevertheless, before going to meet
dogs and guinea pigs.Scientific Samuel, she assumed a calm and
American (Jan 25, 2012) dignified mien.Kraszewski, Jo?zef
Ignacy
392. patronize
398. sate
treat condescendingly
fill to contentment
Ms. Paul herself noted that “glib talk about
appreciating dyslexia as a ‘gift’ is His appetite was not sated by any means,
unhelpful at best and patronizing at but he knew the danger of overloading
worst.”New York Times (Feb 6, 2012) his stomach, so he stopped.Dewey,
Edward Hooker
393. teem
399. constituency from ravelling or fraying.Ontario.
Ministry of Education
the body of voters who elect a
representative for their area 404. infest

Each posited that the blue-collar occupy in large numbers or live on a

Democratic constituency rooted in the host
New Deal had grown increasingly
conservative, alienated from “big Many lived in dilapidated apartments with
government.”New York Times (Jan 14, leaky pipes, broken windows, rooms full
2012) of mold, and walls infested with
cockroaches and rats.New York
400. patrician Times (Jul 28, 2011)

characteristic of the nobility or 405. actuate

aristocracy
give an incentive for doing something
Respectable ladies, long resident, wearing
black poke bonnets and camel's-hair He knew that men were actuated by other
shawls, lifted their patrician eyebrows motives, good and bad, than self-
with disapproval.Brooks, Charles interest.Blease, Walter Lyon
Stephen
406. surly
401. parry
unfriendly and inclined toward anger or
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, irritation
or performing
But Blake, being surly and quarrelsome
The boys asked a few guarded questions, even when sober, gave the lapel a
but gained no information whatever, savage jerk, and reached out with his
their questions being parried in every other hand.Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur
instance.Mears, James R. Murray)

402. practitioner 407. convalesce

someone who carries out a learned get over an illness or shock

profession
Patients convalescing from pneumonia
In particular, modern were evacuated to England or given
medical practitioners are coming Base Duty.Jahns, Lewis E.
around to the idea that certain illnesses
cannot be reduced to one isolatable, 408. demoralize
treatable cause.Nature (Dec 21, 2011)
lower someone's spirits; make
403. ravel downhearted
disentangle The storm clobbered many communities
still recovering from the flooding two
Overcasting is done by taking loose stitches months ago caused by Hurricane Irene,
over the raw edge of the cloth, to keep it leaving weary homeowners exhausted
 and demoralized.Washington turnovers, his weak left hand, his jump
Post (Nov 1, 2011) shot.New York Times (Mar 5, 2012)

409. devolve 415. diffident

grow worse lacking self-confidence

As the rhetoric heated up inside, the Shyly diffident in the presence of

violence outside devolved into chaos. strangers, her head was
lowered.Packard, Frank L. (Frank
410. alacrity Lucius)

liveliness and eagerness 416. execrate

Every one exerted himself not only without curse or declare to be evil or anathema
murmuring and discontent, but even
with an alacrity which almost When all Great Britain
approached to cheerfulness.Kippis, was execrating Napoleon, picturing him
Andrew as a devil with horns and hoofs, Byron
looked upon him as the world's
411. waive hero.Hubbard, Elbert

do without or cease to hold or adhere to 417. implacable

Low rates have also led retail brokerages incapable of being appeased or pacified
to waive fees on money market funds to
avoid negative returns for their clients. This man was a savage in
his implacable desire for revenge.Kelly,
412. unwonted Florence Finch

out of the ordinary 418. pique

He must rush off to see his people, who no a sudden outburst of anger
doubt were quite confounded by
his unwonted energy.Speed, Nell A talented youngster who smashes his
guitar in a fit of pique finds it magically
413. seethe reassembled just in time for a crucial
concert.
be in an agitated emotional state
419. mite
Outwardly quite calm and matter-of-fact, his
mind was in a seethingturmoil.Douglas, a slight but appreciable amount
Hudson
I never saw anybody so pleased with
414. scrutinize monkeys as she is, and not
one miteafraid.Raymond, Evelyn
look at critically or searchingly, or in
minute detail 420. encumber

Fans and commentators hold back

are scrutinizing every blemish: his
Two others were making slower progress act in an arrogant, overly self-assured,
for the reason that each or conceited manner
wasencumbered by supporting a
disabled man.Westerman, Percy F. Slade, despite his swaggers
(Percy Francis) and blustering, was at heart a
coward.Landon, Herman
421. uncouth
427. debase
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
corrupt morally or by intemperance or
He had not stopped to consider her rough sensuality
speech
and uncouth manners.Johnston, Annie Long oppression had not, on the whole,
F. (Annie Fellows) either blunted their intellects
ordebased their morals.Adler, Felix
422. petulant
428. retainer
easily irritated or annoyed
a person working in the service of
The black eyes emitted an angry flash, the another
voice that answered was sharp
and petulant.Fleming, May Agnes This faithful and trusted retainer is greatly
valued by his employers.Black, Helen C.
423. expiate
429. subjugate
make amends for
make subservient; force to submit or
Wulphere was absolved on condition that subdue
he should expiate his crime by founding
churches and monasteries all over his The Confederacy was led by thoroughgoing
kingdom.Clifton, A. B. racists who wanted to keep
blacks subjugated for all time because
424. cavalier of the color of their skin.Slate (Apr 7,
2010)
given to haughty disregard of others
430. extol
Some would have given Nicklaus
a cavalier response: polite nod while praise, glorify, or honor
thinking, “Yeah, whatever.”New York
Times (Jun 18, 2011) How I praised the duck at that first dinner,
and extolled Madame's skill in
425. banter cookery!Warren, Arthur

light teasing repartee 431. fraught

Our easy banter had suddenly been filled with or attended with
replaced by strained and awkward
interaction.Slate (Feb 15, 2012) But the ocean remains an unpredictable
place, fraught with hazards.Scientific
426. bluster American (Apr 5, 2012)
432. august Lincoln began these remarks by good-
humored but nettling chaffing of his
profoundly honored opponent.Various

At all times reserved in his manner and his 438. blanch

bearing full of dignity, never before had
she realized the majesty of General turn pale, as if in fear
Washington’s augustpresence.Madison
, Lucy Foster He is silent, as if struck dumb, his face
showing blanched and bloodless, while
433. fissure she utters a shriek, half terrified, half in
frenzied anger.Reid, Mayne
a long narrow depression in a surface
439. inscrutable
The brown bark is not very rough, though
its numerous fissures and cracks give it difficult or impossible to understand
a rugged appearance.Step, Edward
The fashion industry is notoriously opaque
434. knoll and often inscrutable for outsiders,
even ones as well connected as
a small natural hill him.Seattle Times (Oct 1, 2011)

Opened in 2008, the park serves as a true 440. tenacious

public space; elderly couples stroll
around the artificial lake as toddlers roll stubbornly unyielding
down grassy knolls.New York
Times (May 7, 2010) She was a tenacious woman, one who
would even hold fast a thing which she
435. callous no longer valued, simply because it
belonged to her.Morris, Clara
emotionally hardened
441. thrall
Outwardly merry and good-humoured, he
was by nature coldly fierce, the state of being under the control of
calculating, callous.Wingfield, Lewis another person

436. inculcate Then Kiss commenced in earnest, and

quickly held his audience
teach and impress by frequent in thrall.Farjeon, Benjamin Leopold
repetitions or admonitions
442. exigency
But instruction in history has been for a long
time systematically used a pressing or urgent situation
toinculcate certain political sentiments
in the pupils.Liebknecht, Karl Paul The exigency of the situation roused Mr.
August Friedrich Popkiss' sluggish faculties into prompt
action.Magnay, William
437. nettle
443. disconsolate
disturb, especially by minor irritations
 sad beyond comforting; incapable of 449. bane
being soothed
something causing misery or death
Was there a bereaved mother
or disconsolate sister weeping over Knee pain is the bane of many runners,
their dead?Steward, T. G. (Theophilus sometimes causing them to give up
Gould) altogether.Seattle Times (Jun 7, 2010)

444. impetus 450. dint

a force that makes something happen force or effort

Critics say it has known mixed success at If only certain puzzles could be solved
best, although supporters hope the U.S. by dint of sheer hard thinking!Marsh,
drawdown could provide just Richard
the impetus it needs to thrive.
451. ignominious
445. imposition
deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
an uncalled-for burden
The great Ottawa chief saw his partially
On that far-away day he had considered the accomplished scheme withering
little, lost girl a nuisance and into ignominious failure.Rudd, John
an imposition.Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur
Murray) 452. amicable
446. auspices characterized by friendship and good
will
kindly endorsement and guidance
After a short colloquy the two men evidently
In March 2009, negotiations between Israel came to an amicableunderstanding, for
and Hamas were held in Cairo, under they shook hands.Kraszewski, Jo?zef
the auspices of the Egyptian Ignacy
intelligence agency.New York
Times (Nov 9, 2011) 453. onset
447. sonorous the beginning or early stages
full and loud and deep Thousands of families are living in
makeshift camps as temperatures fall to
His voice rang out firmly now, a deep freezing with the onset of winter.New
and sonorous bass.Bedford-Jones, H. York Times (Nov 10, 2011)

448. exploitation 454. conservatory

an act that victimizes someone a schoolhouse with special facilities for

fine arts
In a scathing report released last year,
Amnesty International found there was The young instrumental talent that is
widespread exploitation of migrants in coming out of local music schools
Malaysia.
 andconservatories is as amazingly New guidelines from the American
good as you are going to find anywhere. Academy of Pediatrics arrive just as
school sports ramp up in sultry August
455. zenith temperatures.Washington Post (Aug 9,
2011)
the point above the observer directly
opposite the nadir 461. pinion

In other words it never reaches the zenith, bind the arms of

a point directly overhead.George H.
Lowery. The prisoners having dismounted, were
placed in a line on the ground facing the
456. voluble guillotine, their arms pinioned.Various

marked by a ready flow of speech 462. axiom

I find him charming: shy – yet easy to talk to a proposition that is not susceptible of
– voluble and funny once he gets proof or disproof
going.
The fundamental axiom of scientific
457. yeoman thought is that there is not, never has
been, and never will be, any disorder in
a free man who cultivates his own land nature.Huxley, Thomas H.

On one extreme was the well-to- 463. descry

do yeoman farmer farming his own
land.Reilly, S. A. catch sight of

458. levity Looking off seaward, I could descry no

sails.Drake, Samuel Adams
a manner lacking seriousness
464. retinue
The same balance of seriousness
and levity runs through her plays, which the group following and attending to
put an absurdist spin on everyday some important person
problems.New York Times (May 7,
2010) Despite his retinue of security personnel,
Atambaev had been poisoned during his
459. rapt short tenure as prime minister.

feeling great delight and interest 465. functionary

She was watching the development of the a worker who holds or is invested with
investigation with rapt, eager an office
attention.Mitford, Bertram
He was the functionary of the assize court,
460. sultry impaneling its juries, bringing accused
men before it, and carrying out its
characterized by oppressive heat and penalties.Reilly, S. A.
humidity
466. imbibe
 take in liquids 472. wry

"We're cornered at last," he said suddenly, humorously sarcastic or mocking

as the old man set the bottle down after
having imbibed the best half of its She also has a very understated but
contents.Douglas, Hudson very wry sense of humour; watch out for
it.
467. diversified
473. caucus
having variety of character or form or
components meet to select a candidate or promote a
policy
Funds in both categories tend to be
highly diversified, typically with 100 or Representative Ron Paul of Texas isn’t
more stocks across at least 10 campaigning in Florida, instead focusing
industries.Wall Street Journal (Feb 24, on Maine, which will caucus in late
2012) February.

468. maraud 474. permeate

raid and rove in search of booty spread or diffuse through

Its reporter says armed gangs and looters Florida’s summertime

are marauding the streets. heat permeates almost every scene,
becoming something like a
469. grudging character.New York Times (Mar 13,
2012)
petty or reluctant in giving or spending
475. propitious
Expect delays, scattered outages and
surly, grudging customer service in the presenting favorable circumstances
interim.
With the Athens stock market down nearly
470. partiality 30 percent so far this year, it would not
seem a propitious time for initial public
a predisposition to like something offerings.New York Times (Jun 2, 2010)

She still showed a partiality for bright 476. salient

colors, by her gown of deep
crimson.Sage, William conspicuous, prominent, or important

471. philology Bullying has become an

increasingly salient problem for school-
the humanistic study of language and age children, and in rare cases has
literature ended tragically with victims committing
suicide.
I had determined to study philology, chiefly
Greek and Latin, but the fare spread out 477. propitiate
by the professors was much too
tempting.Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max) make peace with
King Edward, having subdued the Welsh, ancient
“endeavoured to propitiate his newly
acquired subjects by becoming a The device of the trapped young person
resident in the conquered country.Frith, saved by books is a hoary one, but Ms.
William Powell Winterson makes it seem new, and
sulfurous.New York Times (Mar 8, 2012)
478. excise
484. pedantic
remove by cutting
marked by a narrow focus on or display
Wielding a razor, Jefferson excised all of learning
passages containing supernaturalistic
elements from the gospels, extracting The reader is treated to pedantic little
what he took to be Jesus's pure ethical footnotes, and given a good deal of
teachings. information which is either gratuitous or
uninteresting.Hay, Ian
479. betoken
485. coy
be a signal for or a symptom of
showing marked and often playful
The haggard face and sombre evasiveness or reluctance
eyes betokened considerable mental
anguish.Young, F.E. Mills It was funny watching such a solid person,
based in faith and education, grow a
480. palatable trifle coy about the year of his birth.New
York Times (Jul 11, 2010)
acceptable to the taste or mind
486. troth
If nicely cooked in this way, cabbage is
as palatable and as digestible as a solemn pledge of fidelity
cauliflower.Ronald, Mary
She had pledged to him her troth, and she
481. upbraid would not attempt to go back from her
pledge at the first appearance of a
express criticism towards difficulty.Trollope, Anthony

When Kahn warned of a serious economic 487. encroachment

"depression", he was upbraidedby the
White House for using such language. entry to another's property without right
or permission
482. renegade
The move may mark yet another attempt by
someone who rebels and becomes an France to rein in what it sees as
outlaw the encroachment of online services on
the country's
If he went off to another people he lost all culture.BusinessWeek (Jan 8, 2010)
standing among the Sioux and was
thereafter treated as an outlaw and 488. belie
a renegade.Robinson, Doane
be in contradiction with
483. hoary
"It is a fine morning," he said, taken aback bread, eggs, or cheese in his
by my sudden movement, but affecting knapsack.Price, Lucien
an indifference which the sparkle in his
eye belied.Weyman, Stanley John 494. unseemly

489. armada not in keeping with accepted standards

of what is proper
a large fleet
The square mile's upbeat mood may strike
An armada of three hundred ships manned some as unseemly at a time of national
by eighteen thousand marines gloom.
assembled in the bay on their way to the
conquest of Algiers.Douglas, Frances 495. accentuate

490. succor stress or single out as important

assistance in time of difficulty This sparkling marvel lies modestly nestled

among the law courts, whose plainer
Given his health woes, succession worries modern buildings serve but
and persistent isolation, Mr. Kim may to accentuate its wonderful
simply be seeking succor from what beauty.Sherrill, Charles Hitchcock
may be his last friend on earth.New
York Times (May 5, 2010) 496. divulge

491. imperturbable make known to the public information

previously kept secret
marked by extreme calm and
composure She hectors her children not
to divulge personal information like
Ordinarily imperturbable, even in the face phone numbers online.Seattle
of unexpected situations, he was now Times (Nov 15, 2011)
visibly agitated.Griggs, Sutton E. (Sutton
Elbert) 497. brawn

492. irresolute possessing muscular strength

uncertain how to act or proceed He believes Hollywood has often have had
an over-reliance on physicalbrawn as
I stood for a moment before I entered on the deciding factor for portraying a
my arduous undertaking,irresolute and strong man.
hesitating, swayed by two conflicting
impulses.Waugh, Joseph Laing 498. burnish

493. knack polish and make shiny

a special way of doing something Great cleanliness is enforced in all that

belongs to a lighthouse, the reflectors
He had a special knack of hunting out farm and lenses being constantly burnished,
houses, engaging madame in polished, and cleansed.Whymper,
conversation, and coming away with Frederick
499. palpitate All the rest of their time is passed in
solitude in their hermitages, which are
beat rapidly built quite separate from one
another.Various
After supper my heart started
racing, palpitating like a tick.Isaacson, 505. despoil
Lauren Ann
destroy and strip of its possession
500. promiscuous
Wherever his lordship's army went,
not selective of a single class or person plantations were despoiled, and private
houses plundered.Campbell, Charles
A promiscuous assembly had gathered
there—men of all creeds and opinions— 506. sully
and an "open-air" meeting was in
progress.Whitney, Orson F. make dirty or spotty

501. dissemble Why sully the reputation of an otherwise

fascinating online community with really
make believe with the intent to deceive deeply questionable, troubling
content?Forbes (Feb 13, 2012)
Pictures have always dissembled – there
are millions of snaps of miserable 507. malevolent
families grinning bravely – but now they
directly lie. having or exerting a malignant influence

502. flotilla So you don’t believe in evil, as an

actual malevolent force?New York
a fleet of small craft Times (Oct 28, 2011)

She was guarded by a flotilla of boats 508. irksome

equipped with satellites, Global
Positioning System devices, advanced tedious or irritating
navigation systems and shark
shields.New York Times (Aug 11, 2011) It was pretty irksome passing the time in
his enforced prison, and finally Andy
503. invective went to sleep.Webster, Frank V.

abusive language used to express 509. prattle

blame or censure
speak about unimportant matters rapidly
There's much more name-calling, shouting and incessantly
and personal invective in American life
than anywhere I've ever traveled outside She prattled on about the gossip of the
the United States.Washington Post (Jan town until Penny and her father were
15, 2011) thoroughly bored.Clark, Joan

504. hermitage 510. subaltern

the abode of a recluse inferior in rank or status
The careful commanding officer of a bring or combine together or with
regiment discourages his something else
youngsubalterns from taking leave to
Hill Stations.Casserly, Gordon Where two weak tribes amalgamated into
one, there it exceptionally happened
511. welt that two closely related dialects were
simultaneously spoken in the same
a raised mark on the skin tribe.Engels, Friedrich

But red, itchy welts typically appear within 517. immutable

24 to 48 hours of being bitten.
not subject or susceptible to change or
512. wreak variation

cause to happen or to occur as a We are mistaken to imagine a work of

consequence literature is or should beimmutable,
sculpted in marble and similarly
The burden of paying for college impervious to change.
is wreaking havoc on the finances of an
unexpected demographic: senior 518. proxy
citizens.Washington Post (Apr 1, 2012)
a person authorized to act for another
513. tenable
Ideally, everybody over 18 should execute
based on sound reasoning or evidence a living will and select a health
care proxy — someone to represent
First, it is no longer really tenable – and in you in medical matters.New York
fact a bit disrespectful – to call a country Times (Jan 17, 2011)
like China an emerging economy.
519. dote
514. inimitable
shower with love; show excessive
matchless affection for

Leave aside Spain, where Barcelona He doted on him, just dearly loved him, and
breeds its own, inimitable style, and the thought he could do no wrong,” Kredell
answer might be that we are rushing said.Washington Post (Oct 17, 2011)
toward uniformity.New York Times (Sep
26, 2010) 520. reactionary

515. depredation extremely conservative

a destructive action Old people are often accused of being too

conservative, and
Wild elephants abound and commit evenreactionary.Chinard, Gilbert
many depredations, entering villages in
large herds, and consuming everything 521. rationalism
suitable to their tastes.Various
the doctrine that reason is the basis for
516. amalgamate regulating conduct
Offering a religious rationale for policy goals Ms. Netrebko sang an elegantly
threatens what for many has become sad aria with lustrous warmth, aching
the cherished principle of vulnerability and floating high notes.New
secular rationalism in public life. York Times (Sep 27, 2011)

522. endue 528. trappings

give qualities or abilities to ornaments; embellishments to or

characteristic signs of
To say the least of it, he was endued with
sufficient intelligence to acquire an They were caparisoned in Indian fashion
ordinary knowledge of such with gay colors and
matters.Various fancytrappings.Roy, Lillian Elizabeth

523. discriminating 529. abet

showing or indicating careful judgment assist or encourage, usually in some

and discernment wrongdoing

Jobs’ Apple specializes in delighting the "Since YouTube, digital culture has aided
most discriminating, hard-to-please and enhanced -- or maybe the better
customers.Forbes (Oct 12, 2011) word is abetted -- the celebrity
meltdown," said Wired magazine senior
524. brooch editor Nancy Miller.

a decorative pin 530. clandestine

Upon her breast she wore a brooch of gold conducted with or marked by hidden
set with many precious stones.Butler, aims or methods
Pierce
For Jordan, this is
525. pert a clandestine relationship it would
much prefer to have kept
characterized by a lightly saucy or secret.BBC (Jan 5, 2010)
impudent quality
531. distend
Her pert, lively manner said she hadn't
taken any wooden nickels swell from or as if from internal pressure
lately.Schoenherr, John
Some kids said
526. disembark LaNiyah's distended abdomen looked
like she was carrying a baby.Seattle
exit from a ship, vehicle, or aircraft Times (Apr 7, 2011)

The immigrants disembarked from their 532. glib

ships tired and underfed—generally in
poor health.Hughes, Thomas Proctor having only superficial plausibility

527. aria The other sort of engineer understands

that glib comparisons between
an elaborate song for solo voice
 computers and humans don't do justice 538. aggrieve
to the complexities of either.
infringe on the rights of
533. pucker
Some fallout appears evident in donations
gather something into small wrinkles or from Wall Street executives, who feel
folds particularly aggrieved by Mr. Obama’s
criticisms and policies.New York
Godmother,' she went on, puckering her Times (Feb 20, 2012)
forehead again in perplexity, 'it almost
feels like feathers.Molesworth, Mrs. 539. vestment
(Mary Louisa)
a gown worn by the clergy
534. rejoinder
And then a priest, arrayed in all
a quick reply to a question or remark his vestments, came in at the open
door, and the prince and princess
"Not at all!" was Aunt Susannah's exchanged rings, and were
brisk rejoinder.Various married.Glinski, A. J.

535. spangle 540. urbane

adornment consisting of a small piece of showing a high degree of refinement

shiny material
Polished, urbane and gentlemanly—his
Magdalen's garments are rich manners were calculated to refine all
with spangles; her mantle is scarlet; around him.Judson, L. Carroll
she has flowers in her luxuriant tresses,
and looks a vain creature.O'Shea, John 541. defray
Augustus
bear the expenses of
536. blighted
The legislation also calls for $1.6 billion in
affected by something that prevents spending cuts to help defray the
growth or prosperity disaster costs.Washington Post (Sep
26, 2011)
Hudec, whose career has been blighted by
knee injuries and operations, won for 542. spectral
the first time in more than four
years.New York Times (Feb 4, 2012) resembling or characteristic of a
phantom
537. nicety
Hawthorne’s figures are
conformity with some aesthetic standard somewhat spectral; they lack flesh and
of correctness blood.Merwin, Henry Childs

They accepted the invitation; but Mrs. 543. munificent

Rowlandson did not appreciate
theniceties of Indian etiquette.Abbott, very generous
John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
They have shown themselves very loving 549. gripe
and generous lately, in making a
quite munificent provision for his complain
traveling.Carlyle, Thomas
If America is going to gripe about the
544. dictum yuan’s rate, then China will complain
about the dollar’s role.
an authoritative declaration
550. remission
In other words, they seemed fully
subscribed to Andy an abatement in intensity or degree
Warhol’s dictum that business art is the
best art.New York Times (Dec 10, 2011) After a few hours there is a remission of
the pain, slight perspiration takes place,
545. fad and the patient may fall asleep.Various

an interest followed with exaggerated 551. exorbitant

zeal
greatly exceeding bounds of reason or
According to Chinese media, the hottest moderation
new fad in China involves selling small
live-animal key chains.Time (Apr 5, Soon, stories began trickling across the
2011) Atlantic of crazed fans
payingexorbitant sums to get into
546. scabbard London gigs.Slate (Oct 10, 2011)

a sheath for a sword or dagger or 552. invocation

bayonet
the act of appealing for help
Drawing his own sabre from its scabbard,
he pointed to a stain on it, saying, "This These dances are prayers
is the blood of an Englishman."Reed, or invocations for rain, the crowning
Helen Leah blessing in this dry land.Roosevelt,
Theodore
547. adulterate
553. cajole
make impure by adding a foreign or
inferior substance influence or urge by gentle urging,
caressing, or flattering
Shady dealers along the supply chain
frequently adulterate olive oil with low- Hamilton, however, was not to
grade vegetable oils and add artificial be cajoled into friendliness by
coloring.New York Times (Dec 7, 2011) superficial compliment.Fisher, Harrison
548. beleaguer 554. inclusive
annoy persistently encompassing much or everything
Rock concert ticket sales dropped sharply We are going to adhere to our basic
last year, sounding another sour note for programing strategy of nonpartisan
the beleaguered music industry.
 information inclusive of all different the courage to carry on
points of view.
The deployment will also test the
555. interdict emotional mettle of soldiers and their
families.New York Times (Jun 26, 2010)
command against
561. interpolate
Failing to satisfy his examiners, he
was interdicted from practice, but insert words into texts, often falsifying it
ignored the prohibition, and suffered thereby
more than one imprisonment in
consequence.Worley, George Most scholars agree that these lines
are interpolated, since they do not fit in
556. abase with the rest of the poem.Various

cause to feel shame 562. surreptitious

Ashamed, abased, degraded in his own marked by quiet and caution and
eyes, he turned away his head.Caine, secrecy
Hall, Sir
He noticed that the peddler was eying the
557. obviate bag Scotty had picked up, and was
trying to be surreptitious about
do away with it.Goodwin, Harold L. (Harold Leland)

Comfortable sleeping-cars obviate the 563. dissimulate

necessity of stopping by the way for
bodily rest, provided the traveller be hide feelings from other people
physically strong and in good
health.Ballou, Maturin Murray From infancy these people have been
schooled to dissimulate and hide
558. hurtle emotion, and ordinarily their faces are
as opaque as those of veteran poker
move with or as if with a rushing sound players.Kephart, Horace

The hurricane was expected to hit 564. ruse

Washington in the early hours of
Sunday before hurtling toward New a deceptive maneuver, especially to
York City. avoid capture

559. unanimity Overseas criminals use elaborate ruses,

including phony websites, to trick job-
everyone being of one mind seekers into helping transfer stolen
funds.BusinessWeek (Aug 4, 2011)
On all other points of colonial policy,
Mackenzie declared, people would be 565. specious
found to differ, but as regards the post
office there was plausible but false
absoluteunanimity.Smith, William, Sir
You might be tempted to think of the
560. mettle biggest airline as the one with the most
 aircraft, but capacity differences make Today such acquisitions are more likely to
this reasoning specious. stay put, destined to survive both market
fluctuations and the vagaries of
566. revulsion style.New York Times (Sep 29, 2010)

intense aversion 572. incipient

After a first instinctive cry of only partly in existence; imperfectly

horrified revulsion, the men reached formed
down under water with their hands and
drew out—a corpse.Livingston, Arthur Above all, medical teams will need to
establish quick surveillance to identify
567. hale health needs and
pinpoint incipient outbreaks before they
exhibiting or restored to vigorous good explode.Time (Jan 13, 2010)
health
573. obdurate
From a hearty, hale, corn-fed boy, he has
become pale, lean, and wan.Adams, stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
Abigail
Several appeared deeply affected, with
568. palliate tears of repentance standing in their
eyes, others sullen and obdurate.Huth,
lessen or to try to lessen the Alexander
seriousness or extent of
574. grovel
Divisions and inequalities persist, but
government can palliate their effects show submission or fear
with hard cash.
The two young men who drove them had
569. obtuse fallen flat and were grovellingand
wailing for mercy.Mitford, Bertram
lacking in insight or discernment
575. refractory
The affair had been mentioned so plainly
that it was impossible for the most stubbornly resistant to authority or
dense and obtuse person not to have control
understood the allusion.Brazil, Angela
Beyond them the gardener struggled with
570. querulous a refractory horse that refused to draw
his load of brush and dead
habitually complaining leaves.Bacon, Josephine Dodge
Daskam
He was, at times, as querulous as a
complaining old man.Williams, Ben 576. dregs
Ames
sediment that has settled at the bottom
571. vagary of a liquid

an unexpected and inexplicable change "Right got to go," Ali says, draining
in something the dregs of his beer.
577. ascendancy He decided to assay one last project before
giving up.New York Times (Mar 30,
the state when one person or group has 2012)
power over another
583. parochial
But in a few days he had secured an almost
incredible ascendancy over the sullen, narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
starved, half-clothed army.Various
But Republicans in Pennsylvania also have
578. supercilious narrower and more parochialthings to
worry about.New York Times (Sep 17,
having or showing arrogant disdain or 2011)
haughtiness
584. conjugal
A supercilious, patronizing person—son of
a wretched country parson—used to loll relating to the relationship between a
against the wall of your salon—with his wife and husband
nose in the air.Pinero, Arthur Wing, Sir
They even had conjugal visits for prisoners
579. pundit — five hours in a private room every
three months with your wife.New York
someone who has been admitted to Times (Nov 23, 2010)
membership in a field
585. abjure
Pundits of agricultural science explore the
sheds, I believe, the barns, stables, formally reject or disavow a formerly
machine-rooms, and so forth, before held belief
inspecting the crops.Boyle, Frederick
The caste abstain from liquor, and some of
580. commiserate them have abjured all flesh food while
others partake of it.Russell, R. V.
feel or express sympathy or compassion (Robert Vane)

We had spent countless hours together 586. frieze

drinking wine and commiseratingabout
child-rearing, long Wisconsin winters an ornament consisting of a horizontal
and interrupted sleep.New York sculptured band
Times (Mar 24, 2011)
All the doorways mentioned above have
581. alcove cornices, and in those at Palmyra and
Baalbec richly carved friezes with side
a small recess opening off a larger room corbels.Various

They showed him where he would sleep, in 587. ornate

a little closet-like alcovescreened from
the big room by a gay curtain.Wilson, marked by complexity and richness of
Harry Leon detail

582. assay Unlike his literary icon, Herman Melville, he

doesn’t adorn his writing
make an effort or attempt withornate flourishes or complicated
 scaffolding.Scientific American (Dec 20, 593. diffidence
2011)
lack of self-assurance
588. inflammatory
His grave diffidence and continued
arousing to action or rebellion hesitation in offering an opinion
confirmed me in my own.Froude, James
We don't know Anthony
whether inflammatory language or
images can incite the mentally ill to 594. makeshift
commit acts of violence.Time (Jan 13,
2011) done or made using whatever is
available
589. machination
The house was still under construction, so
a crafty and involved plot to achieve he climbed up a ladder being used as
your ends a makeshift stairway, fell and injured
his leg.New York Times (Apr 12, 2012)
He was continued a member of Congress
until 1777 when his enemies succeeded 595. husbandry
in their long
nursed machinations against the practice of cultivating the land or
him.Judson, L. Carroll raising stock

590. mendicant The U.S. can take a lesson from Denmark,

which has efficiently raised livestock
a pauper who lives by begging without hurting farmers, by using better
animal husbandrypractices.Scientific
In others are the broken- American (Mar 22, 2011)
down mendicants who live on soup-
kitchens and begging. Ritchie, J. Ewing 596. podium
(James Ewing)
a platform raised above the surrounding
591. meander level

move or cause to move in a sinuous or Leyva beamed as he stood atop

circular course the podium, nodding as the American
flag was raised and “The Star-Spangled
They paused beside one of the low stone Banner” played in his honor.New York
walls that meandered in a meaningless Times (Oct 22, 2011)
fashion this way and that over the
uplands.Vance, Louis Joseph 597. dearth

592. bullion an insufficient quantity or number

gold or silver in bars or ingots A continuing dearth of snow in many U.S.

spots usually buried by this time of year
In times of economic turmoil, more people has turned life upside down.Washington
tend to invest Post (Jan 5, 2012)
in bullion gold.Washington Post (Mar
30, 2012) 598. granary
 a storehouse for threshed grain or There was some good-humoured pushing
animal feed and thrusting, the drum beating and the
church bells jangling bravely above
Here is where he does his husking, and the the hubbub.Weyman, Stanley J.
"clear corn" produced is stored away in
some underground granary till It is 604. dispassionate
needed.Seton, Ernest Thompson
unaffected by strong emotion or
599. whet prejudice

make keen or more acute The commission sitting by,

judicial, dispassionate, presided with
While he described the fishing as “pretty cold dignity over the sacrifice, and
good,” the silver salmon running in the pronounced it good.Candee, Helen
creek only whetted his appetite to Churchill Hungerford, Mrs.
return to Alaska.Washington Post (Aug
17, 2011) 605. harrowing

600. imposture causing extreme distress

pretending to be another person Belgium found itself in turmoil as hundreds

of people came forward to
He got somebody to prosecute him for false offerharrowing accounts of abuse over
pretences and imposture, on the several decades.New York Times (Jan
ground that Madame was a 16, 2012)
man. Leland, Charles Godfrey
606. askance
601. diadem
with suspicion or disapproval
an ornamental jeweled headdress
signifying sovereignty A secret marriage in these days would be
looked upon askance by most
I dethrone monarchs and the people people.Wood, Mrs. Henry
rejoicing crown me instead,
showeringdiadems upon my 607. lancet
head.Tilney, Frederick Colin
a surgical knife with a pointed double-
602. fallow edged blade

undeveloped but potentially useful His left arm was held by the second
physician, while the chief surgeon bent
Several new prostate cancer drugs have over it, lancet in hand.Hay, Marie, Hon.
been approved in the last couple of (Agnes Blanche Marie)
years, after a long fallow period, and
others are in advanced 608. rankle
development.New York Times (Nov 3,
2011) make resentful or angry

603. hubbub He was feeling more like himself now,

though the memory of the bully’s
loud confused noise from many sources
 sneering words rankled.Chadwick, 614. ingratiate
Lester
gain favor with somebody by deliberate
609. ramify efforts

have or develop complicating He became kindly and coaxing, leaning

consequences across the table with
aningratiating smile.King, Basil
Cometary science has ramified in
unexpected ways during the last 615. declivity
hundred years.Various
a downward slope or bend
610. gainsay
In this frightful condition, the hunter
take exception to grappled with the raging beast, and,
struggling for life, they rolled together
That Whitman entertained a genuine down a steep declivity.Goodrich,
affection for men and women is, of Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
course, too obvious to
be gainsaid. Rickett, Arthur 616. importunate

611. polity making persistent or urgent requests

a governmentally organized unit The young man was then

passionately importunate in the
China needs a polity that can address its protestations of his love.Barr, Amelia
increasingly sophisticated society, and Edith Huddleston
to achieve that there must be political
reform, Mr. Sun said.New York 617. passe
Times (Mar 21, 2012)
out of fashion
612. credence
My friend is very keen on the new crowd;
the mental attitude that something is everything else he declares is
believable "passe."Holliday, Robert Cortes

"Well-known brand names that promote 618. whittle

new products receive
morecredence than newcomers that cut small bits or pare shavings from
people don't know about."
Tad followed, whittling on a stick with his
613. indemnify knife and kicking at the shavings as they
fell.Kjelgaard, James Arthur
make amends for; pay compensation for
619. repine
She put her affairs in order and left
instructions that those whom she had express discontent
unwittingly wronged should
be indemnified out of her private Those poor fellows above, accustomed to
fortune.Butler, Pierce the wild freshness and freedom of the
 sea, how they must mourn 625. idiosyncrasy
and repine!O'Shea, John Augustus
a behavioral attribute peculiar to an
620. flay individual

strip the skin off One of his well-known idiosyncrasies was

that he would never allow himself to be
Once at the moose and hastily flaying the photographed.Le Queux, William
hide from the steaming meat my
attention became centered on the 626. quip
task.Sinclair, Bertrand W.
make jokes or witty remarks
621. larder
"I could have joined the FBI in a shorter
a small storeroom for storing foods or period of time and with less
wines documentation than it took to get that
mortgage," she quipped.
Mr. Goncalves’s larder holds staples like
beefsteak, salt cod, sardines, olives, 627. blatant
artichokes, hot and sweet peppers and
plenty of garlic.New York Times (Feb without any attempt at concealment;
18, 2011) completely obvious

622. threadbare There was no blatant display of wealth,

and every article of furniture bore signs
thin and tattered with age of long though careful use.Bull, Charles
Livingston
They were all poor folk, wrapped
in threadbare cloaks or tattered 628. stanch
leather.Brackett, Leigh Douglass
stop the flow of a liquid
623. grisly
She did not attempt to stanch her tears, but
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror sat looking at him with a smiling mouth,
while the heavy drops fell down her
Television video showed a heavily cheeks.Stockley, Cynthia
damaged building and a grisly scene
inside, with clothing and prayer mats 629. incongruity
scattered across a blood-splattered
floor.New York Times (Aug 19, 2011) the quality of disagreeing

624. untoward Hanging out wet clothes and an American

flag at the North Pole seemed an
not in keeping with accepted standards amusing incongruity.Cook, Frederick
of what is proper A.

Responding to criticism that cash payments 630. perfidious

are a classic means of tax evasion, he
said he had done tending to betray
nothing untoward.New York
Times (Aug 2, 2011)
The perfidious Italian at length confessed Kazakhstan?New York Times (Oct 4,
that it was his intention to murder his 2010)
master, and then rob the
house.Billinghurst, Percy J. 636. enrapture

631. platitude hold spellbound

a trite or obvious remark I was delighted, enraptured, beside myself-

-the world had disappeared in an
But details are fuzzy and rebel leaders instant.Spielhagen, Friedrich
often resort to platitudes when
dismissing suggestions of discord, 637. virtuoso
saying simply that "Libya is one
tribe."Wall Street Journal (Jun 20, 2011) someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any
field
632. revelry
Each of the seven instrumentalists was
unrestrained merrymaking a virtuoso in his own right and had
ample opportunity to prove it, often in
But all this revelry — dancing, drinks, long, soulful solos.New York
exuberant youth — can be hard to Times (May 3, 2010)
manage.New York Times (Jun 3, 2010)
638. glower
633. delve
look angry or sullen as if to signal
turn up, loosen, or remove earth disapproval

So she did what any reporter would do: A moment later he would collapse,
she delved into the scientific literature sit glowering in his chair, looking
and talked to investigators.New York angrily at the carpet.Hecht, Ben
Times (Dec 27, 2010)
639. mundane
634. extenuate
found in the ordinary course of events
lessen or to try to lessen the
seriousness or degree of Now, it would seem, that the Chinese are
getting back to their everyday concerns,
Prosecutors often spend time weighing paying attention to events
mitigating more mundane and less
and extenuatingcircumstances before cataclysmic.New York Times (Mar 20,
deciding to seek the death 2012)
penalty.Washington Post (Oct 15, 2011)
640. fatuous
635. polemic
devoid of intelligence
a verbal or written attack, especially of a
belief or dogma They're too stupid, for one thing; they go on
burning houses and breaking windows
Would it be a polemic that denounced in their old fatuous way.McKenna,
Western imperialism for using cinema to Stephen
undermine emerging nations like
641. incorrigible had come into the man’s face.Burnham,
Margaret
impervious to correction by punishment
647. gibe
She scolded and lectured her sister in vain;
Cynthia was incorrigible.Various laugh at with contempt and derision

642. postulate So much did their taunts prey upon him that
he ran away from school to escape
maintain or assert their gibes.Hubbard, Elbert

In fact, when Einstein formulated his 648. dyspeptic

cosmological vision, based on his theory
of gravitation, he postulated that the irritable as if suffering from indigestion
universe was finite.Scientific
American (Jul 26, 2011) One may begin with heroic renunciations
and end in undignified envy
643. gist anddyspeptic comments outside the
door one has slammed on one's
the central meaning or theme of a self.Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
speech or literary work
649. prude
The syntax was a little off, even comical at
times, but I got the gist of what was a person excessively concerned about
going on.Time (May 6, 2010) propriety and decorum

644. vociferous Criticising high-profile programmes about

teenage sex education often means
conspicuously and offensively loud risking being written off as a prude.

The complaints grew so loud 650. luminary

and vociferous that even President
Obama was forced to address the a celebrity who is an inspiration to
backlash from Lisbon on Saturday.New others
York Times (Nov 23, 2010)
Founded in 1947, the group's members
645. purvey have included such luminaries as Walt
Disney, Spencer Tracy and another
supply with provisions American president, Ronald
Reagan.Seattle Times (Apr 11, 2011)
And we will agree also to purvey food for
these horses and people during nine 651. amenable
months.Villehardouin, Geoffroi de
disposed or willing to comply
646. baleful
He, Jean Boulot, being so amenable to
deadly or sinister sensible argument, would at once fall in
with his views.Wingfield, Lewis
“But he is dead,” put in Fanning, wondering
at the baleful expression of hatred that 652. willful
 habitually disposed to disobedience and even money from American forces.New
opposition York Times (Aug 16, 2010)

I crossed my arms like a willful child.New 658. gusto

York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
653. overbearing
The audience, surprisingly large given the
having or showing arrogant superiority inclement weather, responded
to with gusto, applauding each song,
including those within the Shostakovich
"True; but——" "Just so," interrupted Mr. cycle.New York Times (Mar 2, 2010)
Fauntleroy, in his decisive and
rather overbearing manner.Wood, Mrs. 659. bouillon
Henry
a clear seasoned broth
654. dais
The meat soups are called
a platform raised above the surrounding broths, bouillon, or consommé,
level according to their richness.Ronald, Mary

The throne was elevated on a dais of silver 660. omniscient

steps.Tracy, Louis
infinitely wise
655. automate
Robbe-Grillet responds that his work is in
operate or make run by machines rather fact far less objective than the
than human action godlike, omniscient narrator who
presides over so many traditional
And because leap seconds are needed novels.
irregularly their insertion cannot
beautomated, which means that fallible 661. apostate
humans must insert them by hand.
not faithful to religion or party or cause
656. enervate
They are atheist conservatives — Mr. Khan
weaken mentally or morally an apostate to his family’s Islamic faith,
Ms. Mac Donald to her left-wing
The reviewers have enervated men’s education.New York Times (Feb 18,
minds, and made them indolent; few 2011)
think for themselves.Rossetti, William
Michael 662. carrion

657. wheedle the dead and rotting body of an animal;

unfit for human food
influence or urge by gentle urging,
caressing, or flattering Habitually his diet is not carnivorous, but he
will eat at times either carrionor living
On one level, I expected incessant flattery flesh.Reid, Mayne
in attempts to wheedleequipment or
663. emolument
 compensation received by virtue of profession, he always knew sailing
holding an office would become
his avocation.Newsweek (Nov 17,
As the TUC has pointed out, those incomes 2010)
– except for senior executives,
whose emoluments seem to know few 669. circumvent
bounds – are rising more slowly than
prices. avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering,
or performing
664. ungainly
Mr. Bloomberg said he would take several
lacking grace in movement or posture steps to circumvent obstacles to his
proposals posed by city labor
Thomas looked up furtively and saw that unions.New York Times (Jan 12, 2012)
an ungainly human figure with crooked
legs was being led into the 670. syllogism
church.Gogol, Nikolai Vasilievich
reasoning in which a conclusion is
665. impiety derived from two premises

unrighteousness by virtue of lacking The conclusions arrived at by means

respect for a god of syllogisms are irresistible, provided
the form be correct and the premises be
That, however, is unbelief, true.Webster, W. F. (William Franklin)
extreme impiety, and a denial of the
most high God.Bente, F. (Friedrich) 671. collation

666. decadence assembling in proper numerical or

logical sequence
the state of being degenerate in mental
or moral qualities In the case of early printed books or
manuscripts, which are often not paged,
But there are people who really do not want special knowledge is needed for
to import what they regard as their collation.Rooke, Noel
Western decadence, especially public
drunkenness.BBC (Jun 11, 2011) 672. haggle

667. homily wrangle, as over a price or terms of an

agreement
a sermon on a moral or religious topic
Obama said while officials can haggle over
In his New Year's homily, the pope said the makeup of spending cuts, the policy
"words were not enough" to bring about issues have no place in the measure.
peace, particularly in the Middle East.
673. waylay
668. avocation
wait in hiding to attack
an auxiliary activity
Sir Samuel Clithering was not, of course, a
Unlike many retired doctors, whom he says member of it; but he lurked about
often have no life outside their
 outside and waylaid us as we went loud and clear
in.Birmingham, George A.
“He has been the single, clarion voice for
674. savant commuter rail in central Florida for 20
years,” said Mayor Ken Bradley of
a learned person Winter Park.New York Times (Jun 27,
2011)
Frank had studied something of almost
everything and imagined himself 680. turbid
asavant.Roussel, John
clouded as with sediment
675. cohort
The thick turbid sea rolled in, casting up
a group of people having approximately mire and dirt from its depths.Reynolds,
the same age Mrs. Baillie

The current cohort of college students is, 681. cupidity

as many have pointed out, the first truly
digital generation.Washington Post (Dec extreme greed for material wealth
1, 2011)
Well educated, but very corrupt at heart, he
676. unction found in his insatiable cupiditymany
ways of gaining money.Kraszewski,
excessive but superficial compliments Jozef Ignacy
with affected charm
682. disaffected
"You couldn't ask too much of me," he
returned, with no unction of flattery, but discontented as toward authority
the cheerfully frank expression of an
ingenuous heart.Ogden, George W. The financial crisis, largely caused by
(George Washington) banker incompetence, has created
legions
677. adjure of disaffected customers.Forbes (Sep
15, 2011)
command solemnly
683. preternatural
“I adjure thee,” she said, “swear to me that
you will never go near those Christians surpassing the ordinary or normal
again or read their books.”Pennell, T. L.
(Theodore Leighton) In fact, they regarded the Spaniards as
superior beings endowed
678. acrimony withpreternatural gifts.Gilson, Jewett
Castello
a rough and bitter manner
684. eschew
Relations with India have been slowly
improving, although talks ended avoid and stay away from deliberately
inacrimony last July with the two sides
indulging in a public spat over Kashmir. Morrissey is among those seniors who
are eschewing nursing homes in favor
679. clarion
 of independent living.Washington characteristic of country life
Post (Mar 23, 2012)
His rural, homespun demeanor ordinarily
685. expatiate might elicit snickers from India’s urban
elite.New York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
add details, as to an account or idea
691. embroil
He then expatiated on his own miseries,
which he detailed at full length.Manzoni, force into some kind of situation or
Alessandro course of action

686. didactic But Mr. Marbury, often embroiled in

controversy during his N.B.A. days,
instructive, especially excessively seems to have found some measure of
peace in China.New York Times (Apr 1,
Let us have a book so full of good 2012)
illustrations that didactic instruction
shall not be needed.Various 692. pathological

687. sinuous caused by or evidencing a mentally

disturbed condition
curved or curving in and out
"Fixated individuals" — mentally ill people
In origami parlance, Mr. Joisel was a wet- with a pathological focus on someone,
folder, dampening his paper so that he often a stranger — make up the first
could coax it into sinuous curves.New group.
York Times (Oct 20, 2010)
693. resonant
688. rancor
characterized by a loud deep sound
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-
will His eyes were piercing but sad, his voice
grand and resonant, suiting well the
The current session of Parliament has so wrathful, impassioned Calvinism of his
far produced only rancor, as opposition sermons.Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
parties have shut down proceedings
with angry, theatrical protests against 694. libretto
corruption.New York Times (Aug 14,
2011) the words of an opera or musical play

689. puissant In many great operas, composers have had

to whittle down an epic literary work into
powerful a suitable libretto.New York Times (Mar
6, 2010)
The ship was not fighting now, but
yielding—a complacent leviathan held 695. flail
captive by a most puissant and ruthless
enemy.Tracy, Louis thrash about

690. homespun Exercise is prescribed, but when she joins

an aqua aerobics class,
 she flailsembarrassingly.New York Obesity is very common, but chiefly among
Times (Apr 12, 2012) the women, who while still quite young
often become
696. bandy enormously corpulent.D'Anvers, N.

discuss lightly 702. benighted

Hillary Clinton’s name has lacking enlightenment or knowledge or

been bandied about, but she’s made it culture
clear she’s not interested.
I alone was magnificently and absurdly
697. gratis aware—everyone else
wasbenightedly out of it.James, Henry
costing nothing
703. sententious
"Would you admit them gratis?" asked Mr.
Castlemaine with a smile, "or would they abounding in or given to pompous or
have to pay, like ordinary residents in an aphoristic moralizing
hotel?"Hocking, Joseph
He is the village wise man;
698. upshot very sententious; and full of profound
remarks on shallow subjects.Irving,
a phenomenon that is caused by some Washington
previous phenomenon
704. cabal
The inevitable upshot of their growing
social power was that brands wanted an a clique that seeks power usually
expanded visual presence. through intrigue

699. aphorism Supposedly, see, there's this

global cabal of scientists conspiring to
a short pithy instructive saying bring about socialist one-world
government.
General Sherman's famous aphorism that
"War is Hell," has become 705. paraphernalia
classic.Fletcher, Samuel H.
equipment consisting of miscellaneous
700. redoubtable articles

worthy of respect or honor It's outfitted with cricket bats and other
antique sports paraphernalia.Seattle
Times (Sep 27, 2011)
Captain Miles Standish was
a redoubtable soldier, small in person,
but of great activity and courage.Mann, 706. vitiate
Henry
make imperfect
701. corpulent
His talent in writing is vitiated by his
excessively fat affectation and other faults.Blair, Emma
Helen
707. adulation revenge.”New York Times (Mar 25,
2011)
exaggerated flattery or praise
713. expostulation
And celebrities get all this adulation for
something that is not about character, the act of expressing earnest opposition
it's about talent. or protest

708. quaff He even believed he saw visions with his

own bodily eyes, and
swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one noexpostulations of his friends could
draught drive this belief out of his
head.Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor
Meanwhile the officers under the tree had Amadeus)
got served, and, cups in hand,
were quaffing joyously.Reid, Mayne 714. tawdry

709. unassuming tastelessly showy

not arrogant It was a tawdry affair, all Cupids and

cornucopias, like a third-rate wedding
Parr's conduct after his most heroic actions cake.Wilde, Oscar
was thoroughly modest
andunassuming.Greely, Adolphus W. 715. trite

710. libertine repeated too often; overfamiliar through

overuse
a dissolute person
The subject—a deathbed scene—might
Still, Mr. Awlaki was neither among the seem at first sight to be a trite and
most conservative Muslim students nor common one.Lancey, Magdalene de
among the libertines who tossed aside
religious restrictions on drinking and 716. hireling
sex.New York Times (May 8, 2010)
a person who works only for money
711. maul
Why should I?—a mere police detective,
injure badly who had been hired to do a service and
paid for it like any
Hundreds of concert goers were mauled as other hireling.Hanshew, Thomas W.
they left by what The New York Times
called “bands of roving youths.”New 717. ensconce
York Times (Aug 17, 2011)
fix firmly
712. adage
Though she is firmly ensconced in a
a condensed but memorable saying writing career, Ms. Freud, 48, said that
embodying an important fact in the early days she missed acting
terribly.New York Times (Oct 30, 2011)
So he focuses on the fans and embraces
the adage, “Living well is the best 718. egregious
 conspicuously and outrageously bad or Kirkwood's anger cooled apace; at worst it
reprehensible had been a flare of passion—
incandescent.Vance, Louis Joseph
“These offenses are very serious,
even egregious,” the judge 724. derelict
said.Washington Post (Sep 12, 2011)
in deplorable condition
719. cogent
Others are clustered under a tin awning by
powerfully persuasive a derelict railway station or in similarly
run-down school buildings.
His thesis was too cogent, and appealed
too powerfully to all classes of the Upper 725. entomology
Canada community, to be anything but
irresistible.Morison, J. L. (John Lyle) the branch of zoology that studies
insects
720. incisive
From the department of entomology you
demonstrating ability to recognize or expect to learn something about the
draw fine distinctions troublesome insects, which are so
universal an annoyance.Latham, A. W.
A half-hour of informed
and incisive questioning by Mr. Russert 726. execrable
would have demolished Mr. Trump.New
York Times (May 1, 2011) unequivocally detestable

721. errant But minds were so overexcited at the time

that the parties mutually accused each
straying from the right course or from other, on all occasions, of the
accepted standards most execrable crimes.Imbert de Saint-
Amand, Arthur Léon, baron
As the crowd voiced its displeasure, the
referees made sure Wisconsin got the 727. sluice
ball, but pass was errant and rolled out
of bounds at midcourt.Seattle pour as if from a conduit that carries a
Times (Feb 28, 2012) rapid flow of water

722. sedulous At 4:15 p.m., as the rain was sluicing off

roofs in sheets, the firemen moved the
marked by care and persistent effort trucks to higher ground.New York
Times (Aug 31, 2011)
Sedulous attention and painstaking
industry always mark the true 728. moot
worker.Calhoon, Major A.R.
of no legal significance, as having been
723. incandescent previously decided

characterized by ardent emotion, The statement from Hermitage said even in

intensity, or brilliance the Soviet period no defendant had
been tried after death, when charges
 were generally considered moot.New a tiny piece of anything
York Times (Feb 7, 2012)
He took his discharge out of his pocket,
729. evanescent brushed every mote of dust from the
table, and spread the document before
tending to vanish like vapor their eyes.Auerbach, Berthold

Time seems stopped but it is moving on, 735. circumspect

and every glimmer of light
isevanescent, flitting. careful to consider potential
consequences and avoid risk
730. vat
Obama administration officials argue that
a large open vessel for holding or new regulations are forcing insurers to
storing liquids be more circumspect about raising
rates.New York Times (Sep 27, 2011)
The cream remains in the large vat about
twenty-four hours before it is 736. inimical
churned.Chamberlain, James Franklin
not friendly
731. dapper
The Hindu idea is that so long as justice
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and and equity characterise a king’s rule,
manners even beasts naturally inimical are
disposed to live in friendship.Kingscote,
Thoroughly dapper, he took off his black- Mrs. Howard
and-white pinstriped suit jacket — with
its pocket-square flair — and weaved in 737. apropos
and out among them, his voice ever
rising.New York Times (Jan 22, 2011) of an appropriate or pertinent nature

732. asperity I found myself thinking vaguely about things

that were not at all aproposto the
harshness of manner situation.Stockley, Cynthia

All this proceeds from the old man, whose 738. gruel
proper character it is to be angry and
bitter, and to exhibit rancor a thin porridge
and asperity.Arndt, Johann
He says, keep them on just two pints of
733. flair Indian-meal gruel—by which he
appears to mean thin hasty pudding—a
a natural talent day, and no more.Alcott, William A.
(William Andrus)
In fact, while Lamarr qualified as an
inventive genius for her artistic flair, she 739. gentility
fell somewhat short on her scientific
acumen.Slate (Nov 28, 2011) elegance by virtue of fineness of
manner and expression
734. mote
This was no rough bully of the seas; 745. scintilla
Carew's bearing and dandified apparel
bespoke gentility.Springer, Norman a tiny or scarcely detectable amount

740. disapprobation Gardner "never expressed one scintilla of

remorse for his attack upon the victim"
pronouncing as wrong or morally despite overwhelming evidence,
culpable prosecutors wrote in a sentencing
memo.
Mr Ruthven shook his head and declared
that he regarded the conduct of her 746. confluence
persecutors with grave
moral disapprobation.Wheeler, E.J. a flowing together

741. cameo And indeed, before the 13th century, there

was an extraordinaryconfluence of
engraving or carving in low relief on a genius and innovation, particularly
stone around Baghdad.New York Times (Dec
28, 2010)
The trinket was a small round cameo cut
out of mother-of-pearl and set in gold; it 747. squalor
represented St. George and the
dragon.J?kai, M?r sordid dirtiness

742. gouge What can be expected of human beings,

crowded in such miserable habitations,
swindle; obtain by coercion living in filth and squalor, and often
pinched with hunger?Field, Henry M.
Shortages also have raised concerns about (Henry Martyn)
higher prices and gouging by wholesale
drug companies that obtain supplies of 748. stricture
hard-to-get drugs and jack up the
costs.Seattle Times (Jan 20, 2012) severe criticism

743. oratorio While gratefully accepting the generous

praises of our friends, we must briefly
a musical composition for voices and reply to some strictures by our
orchestra critics.Stanton, Elizabeth Cady

Mendelssohn had no sooner completed his 749. emblazon

first oratorio, "St. Paul," than he began
to think about setting another Bible story decorate with heraldic arms
to music.Edwards, Frederick George
His coat of arms was emblazoned on the
744. inclement cover.Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward
Woodley)
severe, of weather
750. augury
Be prepared for inclement weather and
possible ice and snow on park an event indicating important things to
roads.Seattle Times (Oct 16, 2011) come
This is always an encouraging sign, and 756. sublimate
an augury of success.Alger, Horatio
direct energy or urges into useful
751. abut activities

lie adjacent to another or share a They might instead have passionate

boundary friendships, or sublimate their urges
into other pursuits.New York Times (Jun
It depicts a mountain landscape near 4, 2010)
Kingston, a historic town abuttingthe
Hudson River.New York Times (Jan 8, 757. eugenic
2010)
causing improvement in the offspring
752. banal produced

repeated too often; overfamiliar through Eugenics was aimed at creating a better
overuse society by filtering out people
considered undesirable, ranging from
Highly dramatic incidents are juxtaposed criminals to those imprecisely
with comparatively banal ones; designated as “feeble-
particular attention is given to tales of minded.”Washington Post (Aug 1, 2011)
doomed love affairs.New York
Times (Dec 4, 2011) 758. lineament

753. congeal the characteristic parts of a person's

face
solidify, thicken, or come together
The tears stood in Muriel's eyes, and her
Boil down the syrup to half its original face was very pale, but serenity marked
quantity, but take care that it does not every lineament.Davidson, John
boil long enough to congeal or become
thick.Baru?, Sulpice 759. firebrand

754. pilfer someone who deliberately foments

trouble
make off with belongings of others
But Hassan is not some
Many young people scavenge for reusable teenage firebrand hurling rocks; he’s a
garbage, living on proceeds slight, graying scholar committed to
frompilfered construction material and peace.New York Times (Jun 9, 2011)
other recyclables.Seattle Times (Feb 8,
2012) 760. fiasco

755. malcontent a complete failure or collapse

a person who is unsatisfied or disgusted The Stuttgart protests became a

national fiasco in late September, when
Now, unfortunately, protesters clashed with police wielding
some malcontents among the hands batons and water
here have spread their ideas, and a cannons.Newsweek (Dec 14, 2010)
strike has been called.Maitland, Robert
761. foolhardy containing or implying a slight or
showing prejudice
marked by defiant disregard for danger
or consequences "After an old-fashioned, all-round team
performance … it might
Many mistakes—extravagant seeminvidious to single out one
purchases, foolhardy investments—are player," admits the paper before singling
made in the first months after a out one player.
windfall.Wall Street Journal (Feb 24,
2012) 767. unmitigated

762. retrench not diminished or moderated in intensity

or severity
tighten one's belt; use resources
carefully In order to be well directed, sympathy must
consider all men, and not the individual
But there was only one way open to me at alone; only then is it
present—and that was toretrench my an unmitigated good.Williams, C. M.
expenses.Caine, Hall, Sir
768. concomitant
763. ulterior
an event or situation that happens at the
lying beyond what is openly revealed or same time
avowed
The conclusion must be drawn that every
Shop window displays may help prettify epidemic of bubonic plague is caused
shopping thoroughfares, but any savvy by the concomitant rat plague.Scientific
retailer has the ulterior motive of self American (Jan 21, 2011)
promotion.BBC (Feb 3, 2010)
769. cozen
764. equable
cheat or trick
not varying
Dicing-houses, where cheaters meet,
His must have been that and cozen young men out of their
calm, equable temperament not easily money.Various
ruffled, which goes with the self-
respecting nature.Hurll, Estelle M. 770. phlegmatic
(Estelle May)
showing little emotion
765. inured
Humanity, when surfeited with emotion,
made tough by habitual exposure becomes calm,
almostphlegmatic.Tracy, Louis
But he had become inured to the rush and
whirr of missiles, and now paid no heed 771. dormer
whatever to them.Mitford, Bertram
a gabled extension built out from a
766. invidious sloping roof
Other features, such as the front French And its suburban schools, rather than being
doors and two roof dormers with exclusive enclaves, include children
curved-top windows and operable whose parents can't afford a house in
shutters, give this home a pleasing, the neighborhood.Washington Post (Jan
well-balanced presence.Southern 11, 2011)
Living (Apr 14, 2010)
777. improvident
772. pontifical
not supplying something useful for the
denoting or governed by or relating to a future
bishop or bishops
He was industrious but improvident; he
The high priest made no resistance, but made money and he lost it.Hubbard,
went forth in his pontifical robes, Elbert
followed by the people in white
garments, to meet the mighty 778. disquisition
warrior.Lord, John
an elaborate analytical or explanatory
773. disport essay or discussion

occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or Cumulatively, what emerges from To Kill a

pleasant fashion Mockingbird is a
thoughtfuldisquisition that
Straightway the glade in which they sat was encompasses – and goes beyond – the
filled with knights, ladies, maidens, and question of racial bias at its worst.
esquires, who danced
and disported themselves right 779. categorical
joyously.Spence, Lewis
not modified or restricted by
774. apologist reservations

a person who argues to defend some "European leaders were

policy or institution united, categorical and crystal clear:
Gaddafi must go," British Prime Minister
Tories, and apologists for Great Britain, David Cameron said.
have written much about a justification
for this action, but there is no real 780. placate
justification.Barce, Elmore
cause to be more favorably inclined
775. abeyance
The East India Company was placated by
temporary cessation or suspension the concession of further exemptions in
its favour.Smith, A. D.
My feelings of home-sickness had returned
with redoubled strength after being long 781. redolent
in abeyance.Boldrewood, Rolf
serving to bring to mind
776. enclave
Here, however, are congregated a vast
an enclosed territory that is culturally number of curious and interesting
distinct objects, while the place is redolent of
 vivid historical associations.Ballou, the period of greatest prosperity or
Maturin Murray productivity

782. felicitous Playboy's most popular years are well

behind it - the magazine enjoyed
exhibiting an agreeably appropriate itsheyday in the 1970s.Washington
manner or style Post (Jan 10, 2011)

The first book is the finest, sparkling 788. herculean

with felicitous expressions and rising
frequently to true poetry.Dennis, John displaying superhuman strength or
power
783. gusty
He made herculean efforts to get on terms
blowing in puffs or short intermittent with his examination subjects, and
blasts worked harder than he had ever done in
his life before.Marshall, Archibald
Winds could get gusty, occasionally
blowing at more than 30 miles per hour. 789. burgeon

784. natty grow and flourish

marked by up-to-dateness in dress and Brooklyn's burgeoning dining scene has

manners even developed a following among
Manhattan food lovers.
He wore a checked suit, very natty, and
was more than usually tall and fine- 790. crone
looking.Green, Anna Katharine
an ugly, evil-looking old woman
785. pacifist
The aged crone wrinkled her forehead and
opposed to war lifted her grizzled eyebrows, still without
looking at him.Myrick, Frank
He was, furthermore, a real pacifist,
believing that war is debasing morally 791. prognosticate
and disastrous economically.Seymour,
Charles make a prediction about; tell in advance

786. buxom How strange it is that our dreams

often prognosticate coming
healthily plump and vigorous events!Huth, Alexander

Mrs. Connelly—a round, 792. lout

rosy, buxom Irishwoman, with a mellow
voice, laughing eye, and artist-red hair— an awkward stupid person
was very much taken with their
plan.Douglas, Amanda Minnie But this question was beyond the
poor lout's intelligence; he could only
787. heyday blubber and fend off possible
chastisement.Williams, J. Scott (John
Scott)
793. simper the act of correcting again

smile affectedly or derisively While earpieces are not uncomfortable,

they do sometimes come loose,
Mrs. Barnett's mouth simpered at the requiring readjustment.Slate (Apr 17,
implied flattery; but her eyes, always 2012)
looking calculatingly for substantial
results, were studying Reedy 799. erstwhile
Jenkins.Hamby, William H. (William
Henry) belonging to some prior time

794. iniquitous Sony, whose erstwhile dominance in

consumer electronics has been eroded
characterized by injustice or wickedness by the likes of Samsung, could beat
rivals to a potentially new generation of
This was some piece of wickedness devices.
concocted by the venomous brain of
theiniquitous Vicar, more abominable 800. aquiline
than all his other
wickednesses.Trollope, Anthony curved down like an eagle's beak

795. rile The nose slightly aquiline, curving at the

nostril; while luxuriant hair, in broad
disturb, especially by minor irritations plaits, fell far below her waist.Various

The prospect of seeing Ms. Palin tour 801. bilious

Alaska’s wild habitats may rile some
people who oppose her opinions about irritable as if suffering from indigestion
climate change.New York Times (Mar
25, 2010) But his sleep had not refreshed him; he
waked up bilious, irritable, ill-tempered,
796. sentient and looked with hatred at his
room.Garnett, Constance
endowed with feeling and unstructured
consciousness 802. vilify

The money fluttered from his hand to the spread negative information about
floor, where it lay like a sentientthing,
staring back as if mocking The trial was televised and the victim's
him.Hitchcock, Lucius W. identity became known, resulting in her
being vilified by almost the entire town.
797. garish
803. nuance
tastelessly showy
a subtle difference in meaning or
With its opulently garish sets and knee-jerk opinion or attitude
realism, the production dwarfed the
cast, no matter what stars were By working so hard to simplify things, we
singing.New York Times (Jan 2, 2011) lose any nuance or ability to deal with
folks’ individual
798. readjustment
 circumstances.Washington Post (Oct 3, anything ever penned by
2011) Lessing.Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim

804. gawk 809. emboss

look with amazement raise in a relief

He speaks mainly of his humiliation at lying Requests may also be made of the
on the sidewalk as hipstersgawked.New stationer to use an embossed plate so
York Times (Apr 9, 2012) that the letters stand out in relief.Eichler,
Lillian
805. refectory
810. proletarian
a communal dining-hall, usually in a
monastery a member of the working class

Meanwhile, the soup was getting cold in As yet, the true proletarian wage-earner,
the refectory, so that the assembled uprooted from his native village and
brotherhood at last fell to, without broken away from the organization of
waiting any longer for the Indian society, is but
Abbot.Scheffel, Joseph Victor von insignificant.Stoddard, Lothrop

806. palatial 811. careen

suitable for or like a large and stately pitching dangerously to one side
residence
I turned the steering wheel all the way to
The house was very large; its rooms one side, and found
almost palatial in size, had been myselfcareening backward in a violent
finished in richly carved hardwood arc.Vogel, Nancy
panels and wainscoting, mostly polished
mahogany.Hitchcock, Frederick L. 812. debacle
(Frederick Lyman)
a sound defeat
807. mincing
The Broncos are coming off their worst
affectedly dainty or refined season in franchise history, a 4-
12debacle that included issues on and
She went, carrying her little head very high off the field.Newsweek (Jan 9, 2011)
indeed, and taking
dainty,mincing steps.Banks, Nancy 813. sycophant
Huston
a person who tries to please someone
808. trenchant to gain an advantage

having keenness and forcefulness and The people around the king
penetration in thought are sycophants who are looking after
their own personal advantage.Coffin,
They are written in a serio-comic tone, and Charles Carleton
for sparkling wit, trenchantsarcasm,
and dramatic dialectics surpass 814. crabbed
 annoyed and irritable sleight of hand tricks.Ballou, Maturin
Murray
He grew crabbed and soured, his temper
flashing out on small 820. fawning
provocation.Weyman, Stanley J.
attempting to win favor by flattery
815. archetype
“As any cult leader, he was extremely good
something that serves as a model at milking the rich, at flattering
and fawning,” Ms. Gordon said.New
Newport, R.I., looks like a York Times (Apr 16, 2010)
perfect archetype of a small, seaside
New England town. 821. hummock

816. cryptic a small natural hill

of an obscure nature Captain Bill leaned back on a hummock of

earth, his arms folded behind his
The authorities, beyond head.Grayson, J. J.
some cryptic language about the death
being sudden but not suspicious, have 822. apotheosis
released no details.New York
Times (Aug 24, 2011) model of excellence or perfection of a
kind
817. penchant
Contrary to popular belief, however, she
a strong liking said Ms. Deen’s fat-laden cooking does
not in fact represent the apotheosis of
But sometimes, old Wall Street habits — Southern cuisine.New York Times (Jan
including a penchant for expensive 17, 2012)
luxuries — are hard to break.New York
Times (Mar 31, 2012) 823. discretionary

818. bauble not earmarked; available for use as

needed
cheap showy jewelry or ornament on
clothing Steeper prices for basic necessities have
forced many to cut back on
But men were buying morediscretionary purchases.Washingt
Valentine's baubles for their honeys on Post (Oct 19, 2011)
long before the first Zales ever opened
its doors in a suburban shopping 824. pithy
mall.Slate (Feb 14, 2012)
concise and full of meaning
819. mountebank
As Moore isolated finer points of the
a flamboyant deceiver passing game, Keller in neat
penmanship jotted down pithy phrases
They are singularly clever, these and punchy quotes, basic ideas and
Indian mountebanks, especially in specific concepts.New York Times (Dec
10, 2011)
825. comport make off with belongings of others

behave in a certain manner Then, in place of the real site, it displays a

fake site created to filch account
Ironically, the one man on stage who numbers, login names and
did comport himself with dignity, John passwords.New York Times (Jul 13,
Huntsman, is now being dismissed as 2010)
having not made an impact.
831. wraith
826. checkered
a mental representation of some
marked by changeable fortune haunting experience

Both restaurants have checkered histories Whichever way he turns there loom
with the health department; they were past wraiths, restless as ghosts of
temporarily shut down for sanitary unburied Grecian slain.Lee, Carson Jay
violations that included evidence of
rodents.New York Times (Aug 22, 2010) 832. demonstrable

827. ambrosia capable of being proved

the food and drink of the gods The linkage between deposits and trade is
definite, causal, positive,
"Frieda represents the lovely goddess, statistically demonstrable.Anderson,
Hebe, who served nectar Benjamin M.
andambrosia to the high gods on Mount
Olympus," she explained.Vandercook, 833. pertinacious
Margaret
stubbornly unyielding
828. factious
His temper, though yielding and easy in
dissenting with the majority opinion appearance, was in reality most
obstinate and pertinacious.Kavanagh,
Will it be answered that we are factious, Julia
discontented spirits, striving to disturb
the public order, and tear up the old 834. emend
fastnesses of society?Stanton, Elizabeth
Cady make corrections to

829. disgorge The following were identified as spelling or

typographic errors and have
cause or allow to flow or run out or over been emended as noted.Hopper,
James
There are telephone poles and cinder
blocks and living room chairs and large 835. laggard
trash bins, overturned
and disgorging their soggy someone who takes more time than
contents.New York Times (Oct 28, necessary
2011)
Corporate data centers are the
830. filch slowpoke laggards of information
 technology.New York Times (Apr 10, 841. lode
2012)
a deposit of valuable ore
836. waffle
Such local perturbations are regularly used
pause or hold back in uncertainty or in Sweden for tracing out the position of
unwillingness underground lodes of iron ore.Gilbert,
William
A few days of waffling back and forth and I
ended up going out to a mediocre bistro 842. fanfare
with my parents.Scientific
American (Feb 8, 2011) a gaudy outward display

837. loquacious It opened a month ago to

considerable fanfare, with television
full of trivial conversation cameras trailing government officials
meandering proudly around the bright
Pan soon found it needful to make new stores filled with imported
conversation, in order to keep goods.New York Times (Aug 22, 2010)
theloquacious old stage driver from
talking too much.Grey, Zane 843. dilettante

838. venial showing frivolous or superficial interest;

amateurish
easily excused or forgiven
They dabbled in politics and art in the
The confidence of ignorance, same dilettante fashion.Cannan, Gilbert
however venial in youth, is not
altogether so excusable, in full grown 844. pusillanimous
men.School, A Sexton of the Old
lacking in courage, strength, and
839. peon resolution

a laborer who is obliged to do menial He was described by his friends

work as pusillanimous to an incredible
extent, timid from excess of riches,
For the most part, the men were afraid of his own shadow.Motley, John
wiry peons, some toiling half naked, but Lothrop
there were a number who looked like
prosperous citizens.Bindloss, Harold 845. ingrained

840. effulgence deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held

the quality of being bright and sending The narrow prejudices of his country
out rays of light were ingrained too deeply in his
character to be disturbed by any change
Then, all at once, in a way that seemed to of surroundings.Fuller, Robert H.
frighten her, the sunshine had burst the
clouds, and dazzled her with 846. quagmire
its effulgence.Fenn, George Manville
 a soft wet area of low-lying land that characterized by or indicative of lack of
sinks underfoot generosity

The heavy rain had reduced this low-lying Now, my uncle seemed so miserly that I
ground to a veritable quagmire, making was struck dumb by this sudden
progress very difficult even for one as generosity, and could find no words in
unburdened as he was.Putnam Weale, which to thank him.Stevenson, Robert
B. L. (Bertram Lenox) Louis

847. reprobation 852. vapid

severe disapproval lacking significance or liveliness or spirit

or zest
Mr. Conway denounced this scheme as
"utterly and flagrantly unconstitutional, How vapid was the talk of my remaining
as radically revolutionary in character fellow-passengers; how slow of
and deserving thereprobation of every understanding, and how preoccupied
loyal citizen."Blaine, James Gillespie with petty things they seemed!Dawson,
A. J. (Alec John)
848. mannered
853. mercurial
having unnatural behavioral attributes
liable to sudden unpredictable change
Nothing was mannered or pretentious; the
texts came through with utter Wind energy is notoriously mercurial, with
naturalness.New York Times (May 29, patterns shifting drastically over the
2011) course of years, days, even
minutes.Scientific American (Jan 4,
849. squeamish 2012)

excessively fastidious and easily 854. perspicuous

disgusted
transparently clear; easily
But please note that this gunfire-fueled film understandable
is for mature audiences; given its
content, young The statements are plain and simple, a
and/or squeamish viewers should avoid perfect model
this one.Washington Post (Aug 6, 2010) of perspicuousnarrative.Smith, Uriah

850. proclivity 855. nonplus

a natural inclination be a mystery or bewildering to

She received, under her father's I shook my head and rushed from his
supervision, a very careful education, presence, completely nonplussed,
and developed her proclivities for bewildered, frantic.Cole, E. W. (Edward
literary composition at an early William)
age.Adams, W. H. Davenport
856. enamor
851. miserly
attract
Young Indian audiences are 862. sinecure
so enamored with reality television that
they will not watch the soap operas and a job that involves minimal duties
dramas that their parents or
grandparents watch.New York He would have repudiated the notion that
Times (Jan 9, 2011) he was looking for a sinecure, but no
doubt considered that the duties would
857. hackneyed be easy and light.Trollope, Anthony

repeated too often; overfamiliar through 863. indite

overuse
produce a literary work
Many speakers become so addicted to
certain hackneyed phrases that those She indited religious poems which were
used to hearing them speak can see the admiration of the age.Brittain, Alfred
them coming sentences away.Lewis,
Arthur M. (Arthur Morrow)
864. emetic
858. spate
a medicine that induces nausea and
vomiting
a large number or amount or extent
The juice of this herb, taken in ale, is
French authorities are already reporting a esteemed a gentle and very
rising spate of calls to emergency goodemetic, bringing on vomiting
services by homeowners whose once- without any great irritation or pain.Smith,
frozen water mains have now burst. John Thomas
859. pedagogue 865. temporize
someone who educates young people draw out a discussion or process in
order to gain time
His old pedagogue, Mr. Brownell, had
been unable to teach him So he temporized and beat about the
mathematics.Pierce, H. Winthrop bush, and did not touch first on that
which was nearest his heart.Erskine,
860. acme Payne

the highest level or degree attainable 866. unimpeachable

Scientifically speaking, it is the acme of beyond doubt or reproach

absurdity to talk of a man defying the
law of gravitation when he lifts his Whether we agree with the conclusions of
arm.Huxley, Thomas H. these writers or not, the method of
critical investigation which they adopt
861. masticate is unimpeachable.Huxley, Thomas H.

bite and grind with the teeth 867. genesis

Food should be masticated quietly, and a coming into being

with the lips closed.Cooke, Maud C.
He found himself speculating on 873. appurtenance
the genesis of the moral sense, how it
developed in difficulties rather than in a supplementary component that
ease.Miller, Alice Duer improves capability

868. mordant In the center of this space stood a large

frame building whose courtyard, stables,
harshly ironic or sinister and other appurtenances proclaimed it
an inn.Madison, Lucy Foster
Even Morgan himself, intrepid as he was,
shrank from the awful menace of 874. nostrum
the mordant words.Crawford, Will
patent medicine whose efficacy is
869. smattering questionable

a small number or amount Just here a native "medicine man"

dispenses nostrums of doubtful
Only a smattering of fans remained for all efficacy, and in front a quantity of red
four ghastly quarters.Washington Moorish pottery is exposed for
Post (Sep 24, 2011) sale.Meakin, Budgett

870. suavity 875. immure

the quality of being charming and lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

gracious in manner
Political prisoners, numbering as many as
His combativeness was harnessed to three or four hundred at a time, have
his suavity, and he could be forcible been immured within its massive
and at the same time walls.Boyd, Mary Stuart
persuasive.Windsor, William
876. astringent
871. stentorian
sour or bitter in taste
very loud or booming
There was something
If a hundred voices shouted in opposition, sharply astringent about her then, like
his stentorian tones still made biting inadvertently into a green
themselves heard above the banana.McFee, William
uproar.J?kai, M?r
877. unfaltering
872. junket
marked by firm determination or
a trip taken by an official at public resolution; not shakable
expense
Still unfaltering, the procession
Mr. Abramoff arranged for junkets, commenced to trudge back, the littlest
including foreign golfing destinations, for boy and girl bearing themselves bravely,
the members of Congress he was trying with lips tight pressed.Sabin, Edwin L.
to influence.New York Times (Feb 26, (Edwin Legrand)
2010)
878. tutelage
 attention and management implying 884. manumit
responsibility for safety
free from slavery or servitude
It will do so under German leadership that
grows less hesitant with each crisis, and Moreover, manumitted slaves enjoyed the
without the American tutelage it same rights, privileges and immunities
enjoyed for so many that were enjoyed by those born
decades.Newsweek (Jan 23, 2011) free.Various

879. testator 885. unexceptionable

a person who makes a will completely acceptable; not open to

reproach
This will was drawn up by me some years
since at the request of thetestator, who All cowboys are from necessity good cooks,
was in good health, mentally and and the fluffy, golden brown biscuits and
bodily.Henty, G. A. (George Alfred) fragrant coffee of Red's making
were unexceptionable.Mayer, Frank
880. elysian
886. triumvirate
of such excellence as to suggest
inspiration by the gods a group of three people responsible for
civil authority
Life seemed an elysian dream, from which
care and sorrow must be for ever This triumvirate approach has real benefits
banished.Hentz, Caroline Lee in terms of shared wisdom, and we will
continue to discuss the big decisions
881. fulminate among the three of us.

criticize severely 887. sybarite

But with people looking for almost any a person addicted to luxury and
excuse to fulminate against airlines pleasures of the senses
these days, there's a certain risk of
embellishment. He was not used to travelling on
omnibuses, being something of
882. fractious a sybaritewho spared nothing to ensure
his own comfort.Wallace, Edgar
easily irritated or annoyed
888. jibe
He was a fractious invalid, and spared his
wife neither time nor trouble in attending be compatible, similar, or consistent
to his wants.Brazil, Angela
Contemporary art has never
883. pummel quite jibed with mainstream media.

strike, usually with the fist 889. magisterial

Another, with rubber bands wrapped tightly offensively self-assured or exercising

around his face, is pummelledby a unwarranted power
plastic boxing kangaroo.
“Now look here,” he said, making believe to churn out low-cost electronics.New York
take down my words and shaking his Times (May 25, 2010)
pencil at me in a magisterial way.Fenn,
George Manville 895. rarefied

890. roseate of high moral or intellectual value

of something having a dusty purplish The debate over climate science has
pink color involved very complex physical models
and rarefied areas of scientific
Behind the trees rough, lichened rock and knowledge.New York Times (Apr 9,
stony slopes ran up to a bare ridge, 2011)
silhouetted against the roseate glow of
the morning sky.Bindloss, Harold 896. chary

891. obloquy characterized by great caution

abusive, malicious, and condemnatory There was no independent verification of

language the figure; the authorities have
been chary of releasing death tolls for
This is the real history of a transaction fear of inflaming further violence.New
which, by frequent misrepresentation, York Times (Apr 24, 2011)
has brought undeserved obloquy upon
a generous man.Purchas, H. T. (Henry 897. credo
Thomas)
any system of principles or beliefs
892. hoodwink
She preferred to hang out with everyone
influence by slyness but was best friends with no one,
holding to the credo: “You should be
The stories of the saints he regarded as nice to people.”New York Times (Jan
preposterous fables invented 21, 2011)
tohoodwink a gullible and illiterate
populace. 898. superannuated

893. striate too old to be useful

mark with stripes of contrasting color Civil servants are superannuated at fifty-
five years of age and are sent home on
The body is striated with clearly defined, a pension, seldom enjoying life longer
often depressed lines, which run than two years afterward.Hunt, Eleonora
longitudinally and sometimes
spirally.Calkins, Gary N. (Gary Nathan) 899. impolitic

894. arrogate not marked by artful prudence

seize and take control without authority Bill Maher has always been a vocal critic of
Islam, even at times
Japanese manufacturers were accused makingimpolitic statements about the
of arrogating American technologies to religion.
900. aspersion food for domestic livestock

a disparaging remark "Fools!" she cried, looking in her magic

crystal, "he was in the big sycamore
Lord Sanquhar then proceeded to deny under which you stopped to give your
the aspersion that he was an ill-natured horses provender!"Housman, Laurence
fellow, ever revengeful, and delighting in
blood.Thornbury, Walter 906. endemic

901. abysmal of a disease constantly present in a

particular locality
so deep as to be immeasurable
Mean-spirited chants and songs are
After all, many Americans regard this also endemic in British soccer.New
Congress as dysfunctional, York Times (Jan 27, 2012)
withabysmal approval ratings.New York
Times (Dec 28, 2011) 907. jocund

902. poignancy full of or showing high-spirited

merriment
a quality that arouses emotions,
especially pity or sorrow Her jocund laugh and merry voice, indeed,
first attracted my attention.Lever,
They were curious about the “near loss” Charles James
experience—specifically the feelings
of poignancy that occur when what we 908. procedural
cherish disappears.Scientific
American (Jan 17, 2011) of or relating to processes

903. stilted In other words, the rejection was a

bureaucratic/ procedural decision.Scien
artificially formal tific American (Feb 1, 2012)

But thanks to the stilted writing and stiff 909. rakish

acting, the characters still feel very
much like one-dimensional figures from marked by a carefree unconventionality
a dutiful fable.New York Times (Jul 12, or disreputableness
2011)
She wore her red cap in a rakish manner
904. effete on the side of her head, its tassel falling
down over her forehead between her
excessively self-indulgent, affected, or eyes.Sage, William
decadent
910. skittish
John Bull was an effete old plutocrat whose
sons and daughters were given up to unpredictably excitable, especially of
sport and amusement.Moffett, horses
Cleveland
That combined with his calm and
905. provender reassuring tone made me think of an
 animal trainer trying to woo skittish wild adroitness in using the hands
animals.
The trick was performed Tuesday by
911. peroration Russell Fitzgerald, an amateur magician
known to open meetings with a
a flowery and highly rhetorical address little sleight of hand.Washington
Post (Sep 29, 2011)
He had little hope that Gallagher, once
embarked on a peroration, would stop 917. rubric
until he had used up all the words at his
command.Birmingham, George A. category name

912. nonentity Ms. Moss took issue, not surprisingly, with

the notion that grouping the
a person of no influence performances under the rubric of
spirituality was a marketing ploy.New
Was he such a nonentity in every way that York Times (Nov 22, 2010)
she could remain unconcerned as to
any fear of danger from him?Woolson, 918. plenitude
Constance Fenimore
a full supply
913. abstemious
Of course at that season, amid
marked by temperance in indulgence the plenitude of seeds, nuts, and
berries, they were as plump as
Raw, boozy, untethered performances are partridges.Reid, Mayne
heralded as real;
theabstemious professional is yawned 919. rebus
off the stage.
a puzzle consisting of pictures
914. viscid representing words

having the sticky properties of an They wrote at times with pictures standing
adhesive for sounds, as we now write
inrebus puzzles.Park, Robert Ezra
Roads were quagmires where travellers
slipped and laboured 920. wizened
throughviscid mud and over icy
fords.Buck, Charles Neville lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from
age or illness
915. doggerel
Kim Jong Il may be
a comic verse of irregular measure increasingly wizened and frail, with
fingernails white from kidney disease,
He sang, with accompanying action, some but his propaganda apparatus is as
dozen verses of doggerel, remarkable vigorous as ever.Wall Street
for obscenity and imbecility. Ritchie, J. Journal (Mar 26, 2010)
Ewing (James Ewing)
921. whorl
916. sleight
 a round shape formed by a series of “Tabloid,” like his previous films, consists
concentric circles largely of long, discursiveconversations
— in effect monologues directed at an
The flowers are waxy, tubular, fragrant, unseen, mostly unheard
turning their yellow petals backward in interlocutor.New York Times (Jul 22,
a whorl.Rogers, Julia Ellen 2011)

922. fracas 927. zealot

noisy quarrel a fervent and even militant proponent of

something
Other cops were battling each other, going
after the kids and clutching empty air, "The public is going to just think of us as
cursing and screaming unheard orders these zealots who want to ban smoking
in the fracas.Freas, Kelly everywhere," he said.Seattle
Times (Feb 20, 2011)
923. iconoclast
928. moribund
someone who attacks cherished ideas
or institutions not growing or changing; without force
or vitality
Jobs is a classic iconoclast, one who
aggressively seeks out, attacks, and The entertainment sector there is booming,
overthrows conventional while Pakistan's is moribund.Seattle
ideas.BusinessWeek (Oct 12, 2010) Times (Dec 3, 2011)

924. saturnine 929. modicum

bitter or scornful a small or moderate or token amount

Only when Bill Lightfoot spoke did he look He volunteered a modicum of advice,
up, and then with a set sneer, growing limited in quantity, but
daily more saturnine.Dixon, Maynard valuable.Bolderwood, Rolf

925. madrigal 930. connotation

an unaccompanied partsong for several an idea that is implied or suggested

voices
In Arabic, the word “bayt” translates literally
Nevertheless we learn from Malvezzi's as house, but its connotationsresonate
publication that the pieces were all beyond rooms and walls, summoning
written in the madrigal style, frequently longings gathered about family and
in numerous voice parts.Henderson, W. home.New York Times (Feb 18, 2012)
J. (William James)
931. adventitious
926. discursive
associated by chance and not an
tending to cover a wide range of integral part
subjects
The derivation of the word thus appears to
be merely accidental
 andadventitious.Stace, W. T. (Walter a person from whom you are descended
Terence)
His forebears were Greek immigrants who
932. recondite opened a small sandwich shop in
Brooklyn, then moved, one after
difficult to penetrate another, to Providence, to sell distinct,
delectable wieners.New York
The mystery of verse is like other abstruse Times (Sep 24, 2010)
and recondite mysteries—it strikes the
ordinary fleshly man as absurd.Gosse, 938. cadaverous
Edmund
very thin especially from disease or
933. zephyr hunger or cold

a slight wind He looked gaunt and cadaverous, and

much of his old reckless joyousness had
The dwellings and public buildings left him, though he brightened up
throughout Cuba are planned to give wonderfully on seeing an old
free passage to every zephyr that wafts friend.Doyle, A. Conan
relief from the oppressive heat.Various
939. foist
934. countermand
force onto another
cancel officially
Mr. Knoll added that the 3-D “Star Wars”
In the midst of executing this order, he got movies are not “going to befoisted on
another order countermandingit, and anybody against their will.”New York
proceeding directly from his direct Times (Sep 29, 2010)
superior.Belloc, Hilaire
940. dotage
935. captious
mental infirmity as a consequence of old
tending to find and call attention to faults age

Miss Burton had been very irritable He is, as you say, a senile old man in
and captious in class, more so even his dotage.Wilcox, Ella Wheeler
than usual, and most of her anger was
vented upon Gerry.Chaundler, Christine 941. nexus

936. cognate a connected series or group

having the same ancestral language Numerous innovators are also worrying
away at this nexus of problems.
The synonyms are also given in
the cognate dialects of Welsh, Armoric, 942. choleric
Irish, Gaelic, and Manx, showing at one
view the connection between characterized by anger
them. Jenner, Henry
Jonathan, choleric with indignation, stood
937. forebear by his desk, clenching his hands.Mills,
Weymer Jay
943. garble someone new to a field or activity

make false by mutilation or addition As yet he was merely a tyro, gaining

practical experience under a veteran
But the fact remains that the contradictory Zeppelin commander.Westerman, Percy
and inconsistent things said do reach F. (Percy Francis)
the public, and usually in garbled and
distorted form.Unknown 949. preen

944. bucolic dress or groom with elaborate care

idyllically rustic He preened on fight nights in a tuxedo, a

bow tie and no shirt, and he favored
Forty-four years ago, Bill Sievers moved showy rings and bracelets.New York
into his neo-Colonial house in Times (Jul 24, 2011)
Douglaston, Queens, on bucolic Poplar
Street, lined with stately trees and 950. largesse
equally stately homes.New York
Times (Mar 26, 2012) liberality in bestowing gifts

945. denouement After being saved by government largesse,

they say, big banks then moved to
the outcome of a complex sequence of thwart reforms aimed at preventing
events future meltdowns caused by excessive
risk-taking.New York Times (Jul 14,
Suppose the truly 2011)
apocalyptic denouement happens -- no
deal is reached, and taxes rise for 951. retentive
everyone.
good at remembering
946. animus
The child was very sharp, and her memory
a feeling of ill will arousing active was extremely retentive.Rowlands,
hostility Effie Adelaide

The youthful savages had each an armful of 952. unconscionable

snowballs, and they were pelting the
child with more animus than seemed greatly exceeding bounds of reason or
befitting.Murray, David Christie moderation

947. overweening For generations in the New York City public

schools, this has become the norm with
unrestrained, especially with regard to devastating consequences rooted
feelings in unconscionable levels of student
failure.New York Times (Nov 4, 2011)
He had overweening ambitions even then,
along with a highly developed sense of 953. badinage
his own importance.New York
Times (Apr 19, 2010) frivolous banter
948. tyro
It was preposterous to talk to her of serious 959. factitious
things, and nothing but an
airybadinage seemed possible in her not produced by natural forces; artificial
company.Maugham, W. Somerset or fake
(William Somerset)
Indeed, the Chinese make
954. insensate a factitious cheese out of peas, which it
is difficult to discriminate from the article
devoid of feeling and consciousness of animal origin.Cameron, Charles
and animation Alexander, Sir

Men also are those brutal soldiers, alike 960. gestate

stupidly ready, at the word of command,
to drive the nail through quivering flesh have the idea for
or insensate wood.Stowe, Harriet
Beecher Mr. Lucas’s most recent project,
still gestating, is a collaboration with
955. sherbet Cuban musicians.New York Times (May
9, 2011)
a frozen dessert made primarily of fruit
juice and sugar 961. traduce

"One person said it looks like a big speak unfavorably about

lime sherbet ice cream cone!"Southern
Living (Apr 28, 2010) For Grover Cleveland there were no longer
enemies to traduce and vilify.Straus,
956. beatific Oscar S.

resembling or befitting an angel or saint 962. sextant

She dozed at last, her face serene an instrument for measuring angular
and beatific.Beach, Rex Ellingwood distance

957. bemuse For example, a sextant could be used to

sight the sun at high noon in order to
cause to be confused emotionally determine one’s latitude.Scientific
American (Mar 8, 2012)
They were marching in the middle of the
street, chanting and singing and 963. coiffure
disrupting traffic while countless New
Yorkers looked on, some bemused, the arrangement of the hair
others applauding.
They sat down, and Saint-Clair noticed his
958. microcosm friend's coiffure; a single rose was in
her hair.M?rim?e, Prosper
a miniature model of something
964. malleable
The building, he said, is "a microcosm of
what Shanghai was all about."Wall easily influenced
Street Journal (Apr 30, 2010)
“The Americans are seen as a supplement to a will
naïve malleable tools in the hands of
the Brits.”New York Times (Nov 30, The codicil to her will, which she had
2011) spoken of with so much composure, left
three hundred pounds to Stella and
965. rococo me.Fothergill, Jessie

having excessive asymmetrical 971. roil

ornamentation
be agitated
The upper part of the case is decorated
with elaborately carved and Like thousands of fellow students, he
giltrococo motifs.Bedini, Silvio A. was roiled with emotions, struggling to
come to grips with an inescapable
966. fructify reality.New York Times (Nov 26, 2011)

become productive or fruitful 972. grandiloquent

Thence they grow, expand, fructify, and lofty in style

the result is Progress.Stanton, Elizabeth
Cady A large part of his duties will be to strut
about on the stage, and mouth more or
967. nihilist less unintelligible sentences in
a grandiloquent tone.Smith, Arthur H.
someone who rejects all theories of
morality 973. inconsequential

“He’s a loner nihilist who believes in lacking worth or importance

nothing,” Mr. Lu said.New York
Times (Nov 6, 2011) But as the months went by, Mr. Kimura had
an unexpected epiphany: His business,
968. ellipsis which he thought was inconsequential,
mattered to a lot of people.
omission or suppression of parts of
words or sentences 974. effervescence

He speaks in ellipses, often leaving the property of giving off bubbles

sentences hanging, and fiddles
apologetically with his BlackBerry. Both were in the very sparkle
and effervescence of that fanciful glee
969. accolade which bubbles up from the golden,
untried fountains of early
a tangible symbol signifying approval or childhood.Stowe, Harriet Beecher
distinction
975. stultify
The Nobel Prize, considered one of the
highest accolades in literature, is given deprive of strength or efficiency; make
only to living writers.Seattle Times (Oct useless or worthless
6, 2011)

970. codicil
Far from being engines of economic hanging loosely or bending downward
growth, Egypt's leading cities
arestultified. And all around, far out of reach, the trees of
the forest were swaying restlessly, their
976. tureen long, pendulous branches, like
tentacles, lashing out hungrily.Bates,
large deep serving dish with a cover Harry

Soups are presented in big tureens and 982. exegesis

can be quite good.New York Times (Apr
13, 2012) an explanation or critical interpretation

977. pellucid Its musical significance has been presented

with illuminating exegesis by more than
transparently clear; easily one commentator.Forkel, Johann
understandable Nikolaus

Caribou Island is a scant 300 pages, and 983. effluvium

written in prose as pellucid as the rivers
he used to fish as a boy. a foul-smelling outflow or vapor

978. euphony However, acting on my best judgment, I

struck a downward course, and then
any pleasing and harmonious sounds suddenly a horrible effluvium was
wafted to my nostrils.Mitford, Bertram
It depends somewhat on usage and
on euphony or agreeableness of 984. apposite
sound.Hamilton, Frederick W. (Frederick
William) being of striking appropriateness and
pertinence
979. apocryphal
He was quite capable of
being of questionable authenticity meaningful, apposite phrases about the
game, even though distant sports
We're reminded of the story, editors did not encourage them enough.
possibly apocryphal, that they used to
play the Beach Boys' Smiley Smile in 985. viscous
psychiatric wards to calm patients.
having the sticky properties of an
980. veracious adhesive

precisely accurate Sluggish, blind crawling things like three-

foot slugs flowed across their path and
For proof, we cite the among the tree trunks,
following veracious narrative, which leaving viscous trails of slime behind
bears within it every internal mark of them.Various
truth, and matter for grave and serious
reflection.Roby, John 986. misanthrope

981. pendulous someone who dislikes people in general

And shaking his head like a misanthrope, Initially, many doctors discounted sufferers’
disgusted, if not with life, at least with feelings of generalized malaiseas
men, Patout led the horse to the nothing more than stress or normal
stable.Dumas père, Alexandre fatigue.

987. vintner 992. polemical

someone who makes wine of or involving dispute or controversy

The question remains, he said, whether His works include several dogmatic
established vintners will change their and polemical treatises, but the most
winemaking practices or “continue to important are the historical.Various
sell their schlock.”New York Times (Oct
27, 2010) 993. gadfly

988. halcyon a persistently annoying person

idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting Mr. Phelps is regarded here as the ultimate
happy tranquility example of an irritating localgadfly.New
York Times (Oct 9, 2010)
He now seemed to have entered on
a halcyon period of life—congenial 994. atavism
society, romantic and interesting
surroundings.Kennard, Nina H. a reappearance of an earlier
characteristic
989. anthropomorphic
Criminal atavism might be defined as the
suggesting human features for animals sporadic reversion to savagery in certain
or inanimate things individuals.Symonds, John Addington

The same anthropomorphic fallacy that 995. contusion

accords human attributes to giant
corporations like BP distorts clear an injury in which the skin is not broken
thinking about how to limit their political
influence.
My falling companion, being a much stouter
man than myself did not fare so well, as
990. turgid his right shoulder received a
severe contusion.Bevan, A. Beckford
ostentatiously lofty in style
996. parsimonious
His waspish wit can make him entertaining
company at a party, but there is little excessively unwilling to spend
evidence of that in his
largely turgid prose.
Pill-splitting is catching on
among parsimonious prescription-
991. malaise takers who want to lower costs.
a general feeling of discomfort, 997. dulcet
uneasiness, or depression
pleasing to the ear
Ever and anon the dulcet murmur of
gurgling streams broke gently on the
ear.Madison, Lucy Foster

998. reprise

repeat an earlier theme of a composition

The live set reprises material from this

remarkable group's earlier Aurora CD.

999. anodyne

capable of relieving pain

But philosophy failed, as it will probably fail

till some far-off age, to find
ananodyne for the spiritual distresses of
the mass of men.Dill, Samuel

1000. bemused

perplexed by many conflicting situations

or statements

They were marching in the middle of the

street, chanting and singing and
disrupting traffic while countless New
Yorkers looked on, some bemused,
others applauding.