Vocabulary 25 Introduction
Sentence
Word
Definition
Irving Berlin is a prolific songwriter,
Prolific
Producing many offspring;
having produced more great tunes than
Adj.
producing much; abundant
any other composer.
The twins’ propensity to excel in music
Propensity A natural leaning or tendency;
must be an inherited trait.
n.
bent
On their first visit to the capital in
Provincial
Having the ways and speech of
thirty years, the provincial couple
Adj.
a certain province; of or like
thought they had entered a new world.
country people as apart from
city people (unsophisticated);
thinking in narrow ways
Prudent laws make for a safe society.
Prudent
Careful or cautious in a
Adj.
sensible way; wise; frugal
The pugnacious young man seemed
Pugnacious
Eager and ready to fight;
more willing to use his fists than his
Adj.
quarrelsome
words to resolve a conflict.
The benefits and dangers of a nuclear
Quandary
Condition of being doubtful or
plant leave us in a quandary.
n.
confused
Bob adopted a querulous tone that
Querulous
Peevish; faultfinding;
certainly did no ingratiate him with his
Adj.
expressing or suggestive of
host.
complaint
Mr. Romley spun a rather quixotic
Quixotic
Idealistic and utterly
vision of his future that was based on
Adj.
impractical
his winning the lottery.
Mark Twain was an accomplished
Raconteur
A person skilled at telling
raconteur, able to hold his audience
n.
stories or anecdotes
spellbound for hours.
The president said he harbored no
Rancor
Deep spite or malice; strong
rancor against congress for overriding
n.
hate or bitter feeling
his veto.